IENCB 


SUCCESSFUL 
THRESHING 


DlNGEE-MACGREGOR 


firric.  Dept, 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


Class  . 


SCIENCE  OF 
SUCCESSFUL 
THRESHING 


Dmgfee-'MacGregor 


FIFTH  EDITION,  REVISED  AND  ENLARGED 


Published  by 

J.  I.  CASE  THRESHING  MACHINE  CO. 
RACINE,  WIS. 

1907. 


Copyrighted  by 

R.   T.  ROBINSON 
1899 


PREFACE. 


HE  object  of  this  book  is  to  enable  the  owners 
and  the  operators  of  "Case"  Threshing  Ma- 
chinery to  become  familiar  with  the  construc- 
tion and  operation  of  their  engines  and  ma- 
chines. The  material  has  been  gathered,  not 
only  from  the  author's  personal  experience, 
but  also  from  notes  taken  during  visits  to  the 
outfits  of  a  large  number  of  the  best  and  most  successful 
threshermen  in  various  localities.  The  aim  has  been  to 
avoid  theorizing  and  to  make  only  such  statements  as  have 
been  demonstrated  practical,  by  actual  field  expedience.  The 
fact  is  appreciated  that  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down  specific 
rules  for  operating  threshing  machinery,  under  the  ever 
varying  conditions  of  grain,  straw  and  weather,  but  it  is 
hoped  that  the  suggestions  herein  embodied  will  enable  a 
man  of  ordinary  intelligence  to  operate  his  machine  success- 
fully, and  to  be,  to  a  certain  extent,  an  expert  himself. 

It  is  the  intention  to  continue  revising  it  from  time  to 
time,  and  with  this  aim  in  view,  suggestions  and  criticisms 
will  be  welcomed  from  threshermen,  wherever  located,  to 
whom  this  little  volume  is  respectfully  dedicated. 


CONTENTS. 


For  Index,  see  page  223. 


PART  1.     ENGINES. 

Page. 

Chapter  I      Fitting  Up  and  Starting  a  New  Engine 9 

II      The  Feed  Water 13 

"  III      Firing  with  Various  Fuels 29 

IV  Lubrication  and  Adjustment  of  Bearings.  ...    35 

V      Handling  the  Engine 47 

VI      The   Engine   Proper 53 

VII      The   Valve    Gear 69 

VIII      The   Boiler 81 

IX      The   Traction   Gearing 95 

X      Water  Tanks 103 

XI      Horse   Powers    107 

PART  II.      SEPARATORS. 

Page. 

^Chapter           I      Fitting  Up  and  Starting  a  New  Separator.  ...  121 
II      Setting  the  Separator 125 

III  The  Cylinder,  Concaves  and  Beater 129 

IV  The  Straw-rack  and  Conveyor 141 

V      The  Cleaning  Apparatus 143 

VI      Threshing  with  a  Regularly  Equipped  Sepa- 
rator   .151 

VII      Threshing  with  a  Specially  Equipped  Sepa- 
rator  161 

VIII      Feeding   the    Separator 171 

IX      The  Straw  Stackers 177 

X      The  Grain  Handlers 187 

XI      Lubrication  and  Care  of  the  Separator 195 

XII      The  Belting  of  a  Separator 201 

XIII  The  Pulleys  of  a  Separator. . 211 

XIV  Babbitting  Boxes 215 

"  XV      The  Waste  in  Threshing 219 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 
Fig.     1  Left     Side  Elevation  of  "Case"  Traction  Engine 8 

2  Sectional  View  of  Injector    19 

3  Sectional  View  of  "Marsh"  Pump   23 

4  Sectional  View  of  Check-valve    25 

5  Sectional  View  of  "Case"   Heater    27 

6  Sectional  View  of  Fire-box   for  Burning  Straw 32 

7  Top  or  Plan-view  of  "Case"  Traction  Engine 34 

8  Sectional  View  of  "Ideal"  Cup 37 

9  Oil  Pump  Attached 38 

10  Swift   Lubricator    39 

11  The   Connecting-rod    42 

12  The  Cross-head   44 

13  Engine  Fittings    46 

14  Side  Elevation  of  Engine  Proper 53 

15  Sectional  View  of  Simple  Cylinder 54 

16  Governor    57 

•  17  Sectional  View  of  Governor  Valve 58 

18  Sectional  View  of  "Woolf"   Compounded  Cylinder 64 

19  Face  of  Valve 65 

20  Showing  Pipe  to  Steam  Plugs 66 

21  The   Center-head  Packing 67 

22  The   "Woolf"  Reverse  Valve-gear 68 

23  Tram  on  Disc    73 

24  Tram  on  Cross-head   ...    74 

25  Tram  on  Valve-stem    76 

26  Sectional  View  of  Boiler  with  Grates  for  Coal  or  Wood.    84 
,  27  Interior  of  Gage 85 

28  Section  of  Siphon 86 

29  Sectional  View  of  Pop-valve 86 

30  Cut  Showing  Cannon-bearings  and  Gearing 96 

31  Friction  Clutch 97 

32  Section  of  Clutch-arm  and  Rings 98 

33  Rear  View  of  "Case"  Traction  Engine 99 

34  The  Differential  Gear,  Showing  Springs 101 

35  Top  View  of  Power  with  Sweeps  and  Equalizer  Attached.  109 

36  Sectional  View  of  12  and  14  Horse  Iron-frame  Power..  117 

37  Sectional  View  of  "Case"   Separator    120 

38  Right  Side  of  Separator  with  Common  Stacker 128 

39  Cut  Showing  Space  Between  Cylinder  and  Concave  Teeth.  134 

•iO  Right  Side  of  Geared  Separator  with  Wind  Stacker 141 

41  Shoe  Showing  Position  of  Sieve-rods 146 

43  Sieves  and  Screens 149 

44  Left  Side  of  Separator  with  Feeder  and  Wind  Stacker..  171 

45  Sectional  View  of  "Case"  Feeder 173 

46  Right  Side  of  Separator  with  Feeder  and  Wind  Stacker.  177 

47  Sectional  View  of  Wind  Stacker 181 

48  Telescoping  Device  for  Straw-chute 182 

49  Head  of  "Case"  Weigher 189 

50  Leather  Belt  Lacings 206 

51  Location  of  Holes  for  Lacing  a  Canvas  Belt < 207 

52  Stitched  Canvas  Belt  Lacings 208 

53  Right    Side    of    Separator    with    Feeder    and    Attached 

Stacker 218 


PARTI.    ENGINES. 


I 


CHAPTER   I. 
FITTING  UP  AND  STARTING  A  NEW  ENGINE, 

N  packing  an  engine  for  shipment  it  is  usual 
to  remove  the  brass  fittings  to  prevent  their 
being  stolen.    These,  together  with  the  hose, 
governor  belt  and  wrenches  are  packed  in  a 
box.    The  rod  for  the  flue  scraper  (and  the 
straw  fork,  for  straw  burning  boiler),  are 
placed  in  the  boiler  tubes  and  the  funnel  for 
filling  the  boiler  is  placed  in  the  smoke-box.     The  fire-box, 
ash-pan,  tubes  and  smoke-box  should  be  examined  to  insure 
the  removal  of  all  loose  parts  before  the  fire  is  started.   • 

Attaching  Brass  Fittings.  In  attaching  the  fittings  to  the 
boiler,  care  should  be  taken  to  screw  them  in  tightly  enough 
to  prevent  leaking.  Brass  expands  more  with  heat  than 
iron,  therefore  where  a  brass  fitting  screws  into  iron,  the 
joint  will  be  tighter  when  hot  than  when  cold :  consequently 
should  there  be  a  leakage  it  should  be  stopped  by  screwing 
the  fitting  in  a  little  further  when  cold.  In  screwing  a  pipe 
into  a  valve  or  other  fitting,  the  wrench  should  be  used  on 
the  end  of  the  valve  into  which  the  pipe  is  being  screwed. 
When  the  wrench  is  put  on  the  opposite  end,  the  valve  is  sub- 
jected to  a  twisting  strain  that  is  very  liable  to  distort  and 
nun  it.  The  Wow-off  valve  and  other  valves  about  the  engine 


10  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

should  be  so  attached  that  the  pressure  will  be  on  the  under 
side  of  the  valve  seat.  Then  the  packing  around  the  valve 
stem  can  leak  only  when  the  valve  is  open,  and  may  be  re- 
newed at  any  time  the  valve  is  shut.  A  valve  should  not  be 
too  tightly  closed  when  cold  as  expansion  due  to  heating 
will  force  the  valve  so  hard  against  its  seat  as  to  injure  it. 

Starting  the  Fire.  When  the  fittings  are  all  in  place,  fill 
the  boiler  with  water,  by  means  of  the  funnel,  until  the  glass 
gage  shows  about  an  inch  and  one-half  of  water.  This  is 
on  the  assumption  that  the  boiler  is  level  and  if  not,  allowance 
should  be  made  accordingly.  The  water  will  run  in  faster 
if  one  of  the  gage-cocks,  the  blower  or  the  whistle  be 
opened  to  allow  the  air  to  escape.  The  boiler  being  filled, 
the  funnel  may  be  removed  and  the  filler  plug  replaced. 
When  coal  is  used  as  fuel,  wood  should  be  used  to  start  the 
fire,  the  fire-box  being  kept  full  until  steam  begins  to  show 
on  the  gage.  Then,  if  it  be  desired  to  hasten  the  rise  of 
steam,  the  blower  may  be  started  and  coal  thrown  onto  the 
fire. 

Oiling  the  Engine.  While  waiting  for  steam,  the  dope 
may  be  removed  from  the  bright  work  with  rags  or  cotton 
waste,  saturated  with  benzine  or  kerosene.  The  oil  holes 
and  cups  are  usually  filled  with  grease  at  the  factory  to  keep 
out  cinders  and  dirt  during  shipment  of  the  engine.  This 
grease  should  be  removed,  so  that  the  oil  may  reach  the 
place  it  is  intended  to  lubricate.  All  the  bearings  should  be 
oiled,  the  oil  cups  being  filled  with  good  machine  oil.  Where 


FITTING   UP   AND   STARTING   A    NEW    ENGINE.  II 

the  oil  box  is  large  enough,  it  should  be  filled  with  a  little 
wool  or  cotton  waste  in  order  to  keep  out  the  dirt,  and  to 
retain  the  oil.  Good  cylinder  oil  must  be  used  in  the  lu- 
bricator or  oil  pump. 

Starting  the  Engine  Proper.  When  the  gage  shows 
about  forty  pounds  of  steam,  the  cylinder  cocks  should  be 
opened  and  the  engine  started,  the  throttle  being  opened 
gradually  so  that  the  water  which  has  condensed  and  collected 
in  the  cylinder  may  have  a  chance  to  escape.  The  reverse 
lever  should  be  handled  as  explained  elsewhere  in  this  book. 
If  the  engine  does  not  start  when  the  throttle  is  opened,  pos- 
sibly the  governor  stem  has  been  screwed  down  sufficiently 
to  shut  off  the  steam.  This  sometimes  occurs  in  transporta- 
tion. As  soon  as  the  engine  is  running,  care  should  be  taken 
to  see  that  the  lubricator  is  started  properly.  The  bearings 
should  be  felt  of  to  determine  any  tendency  to  heat.  The 
pump  and  injector  should  next  be  tried  to  see  that  they  are 
in  working  order. 

The  steam  pressure  should  now  be  raised  to  the  blowing 
off  point,  which  is  usually  130  pounds,  to  try  the  pop  or 
safety  valve.  If  it  does  not  open  at  this  pressure,  pulling 
the  lever  will  probably  start  it.  If  not,  it  is  out  of  adjust- 
ment and  should  be  re-set,  as  explained  elsewhere  in  this 
book. 

Starting  the  Traction  Parts.  When  the  engine  has  been 
run  a  sufficient  time  to  insure  everything  being,  in  good  run- 
ning order  (if  it  be  a  traction  engine),  preparations  may 


12  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

be  made  for  a  trip  on  the  road.  To  do  this,  the  trunnion-ring 
of  the  friction-clutch  should  be  oiled  and  the  shoes  adjusted 
to  properly  engage  the  rim  of  the  fly-wheel.  Any  paint  that 
may  be  on  the  long  hub  of  the  arm  should  be  scraped  off  to 
allow  the  free  movement  of  the  ring,  which  slides  thereon,  as 
the  clutch  is  thrown  in  or  out  of  engagement.  All  the  trac- 
tion gearing  should  now  be  greased,  and  a  quantity  of  oil 
poured  into  the  cannon-bearings.  Next  the  stud  of  the  inter- 
mediate gear,  the  bevel  pinions  of  the  differential  gear,  and 
the  bearings  of  the  steering-roller  and  hand-wheel  shaft 
should  be  oiled.  The  steering-chains  should  be  properly 
adjusted  as  elsewhere  explained. 

Caution.  A  new  engine  should  have  close  attention  for 
the  first  few  days  until  the  bearings  become  smooth.  The 
engine  has  been  run  in  the  testing-room  at  the  factory,  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  bearings  are  properly  adjusted.  How- 
ever, they  should  be  felt  of  at  short  intervals,  and  should 
one  of  them  heat  to  any  extent,  it  will  be  best  to  loosen  it  a 
little.  A  fast  run  should  not  be  attempted  the  first  two  or 
three  trips  on  the  road,  but  the  engine  should  be  allowed 
to  run  below  its  normal  speed  until  bearings  are  smooth  and 
the  operator  becomes  accustomed  to  handling  the  engine. 
During  the  first  few  days,  it  is  necessary  to  use  three  or  four 
pints  of  cylinder  oil  in  ten  hours  in  order  to  keep  the  valve 
and  cylinder  well  lubricated.  Afterwards  the  amount  may  be 
lessened,  but  it  is  essential  that  cylinder  oil  be  fed  continually. 


CHAPTER   II. 
THE  FEED   WATER. 

,  HE  feed  water  demands  the  constant  watch- 
fulness of  the  engineer.  It  is  his  first  and 
most  important  duty  to  know  that  there  is 
sufficient  water  in  the  boiler  at  all  times.  If 
he  relaxes  his  attention  to  it  for  even  a  short 
interval,  disastrous  results  are  likely  to 
follow.  A  modern  traction  engine  is  usually 
fitted  with  two  separate  and  independent  means  of  feeding 
water  to  the  boiler.  By  this  arrangement,  if  the  boiler  feeder 
in  use  be  disabled  at  any  time,  the  other  may  be  put  to 
work  without  delay.  These  feeders  should  receive  close 
attention  and  each  be  in  condition  to  work  at  a  moment's 
notice.  If  either  fails  to  work  properly  at  any  time,  it 
should  be  repaired  immediately.  It  is  essential  to  use  the 
cleanest  water  obtainable,  as  dirty  water  always  causes 
trouble.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  strain  the  water  as  it  passes 
into  the  mounted  tank,  by  placing  a  cotton  grain  sack  in 
the  hole  so  that  it  extends  to  the  bottom  of  the  tank.  For 
this  purpose  a  cheap  sack  of  coarse  open  texture  is  the  best. 
The  mouth  of  the  bag  can  be  turned  over  the  rim  around 
the  hole  and  tied  with  a  string  or  strap,  but  a  better 
way  is  to  have  a  hoop  that  just  fits  over  the  bag.  It  is 

13 


14  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

important  to  see  that  the  Suction  hose  and  connections  are 
free  from  leaks.  The  pipe  nipples,  which  screw  into  the 
boiler  at  the  point  at  which  the  feed  water  enters,  should  be 
examined  occasionally,  for  with  some  waters  they  "lime-up" 
in  a  remarkably  short  time.  When  necessary  to  shut  down 
from  lack  of  water,  it  should  be  done  while  the  glass  shows 
at  least  half  an  inch,  as  the  water-level  will  fall  that  much 
when  the  engine  is  stopped,  and  the  water  in  the  boiler  al- 
lowed to  settle. 

What  to  do  when  water  does  not  show  in  glass.  If  you 
find  that  the  water  has  been  allowed  to  get  below  the  glass 
gage  and  lower  gage  cock,  leaving  the  crown-sheet  bare, 
when  the  engine  has  been  standing  still  for  a  time,  bank  the 
fire  and  leave  the  engine  alone  until  it  cools.  If  it  be 
working  when  you  discover  the  water  is  out  of  the  glass, 
the  thing  to  do,  is  get  the  front  end  of  the  engine  up  at  once. 
Back  the  traction  wheels  into  ditch  or  furrow,  run  the  front 
wheels  up  hill  or  onto  a  wood  or  coal  pile,  or  use  any  means 
to  get  the  front  of  the  boiler  high.  If  in  soft  ground  there 
may  be  time  to  dig  holes  for  the  traction  wheels,  but  be 
quick  about  it.  In  the  meantime  keep  the  engine  moving 
in  order  to  slosh  the  water  over  the  crown-sheet.  When  you 
have  the  front  end  of  the  engine  up,  if  water  shows  in  the 
glass,  start  the  injector  and  let  it  run  until  the  boiler  is  filled 
to  its  normal  level  If  you  are  unable  to  get  the  engine  in 
such  a  position  that  the  water  shows  in  the  glass,  cover  the 
fire  with  a  layer  of  ashes  or  earth  three  or  four  inches  thick. 


THE    FEED    WATER.  15 

Do  not  attempt  to  pull  it  out,  as  stirring  it  up  creates  intense 
heat.  Having  banked  the  fire,  leave  the  engine  alone  until 
the  steam  goes  down.  By  doing  this,  you  have  probably 
prevented  the  fusible  plug  from  melting,  or,  what  is  vastly 
more  serious,  burning  the  crown-sheet.  A  crown-sheet  that 
has  been  burnt  is  greatly  weakened,  probably  "bagged"  or 
warped,  and  the  stay-bolts -so  strained  at  their  threads  that 
it  is  impossible  to  keep  them  from  leaking.  The  majority 
of  explosions  of  boilers  of  the  locomotive  type  are  caused 
by  low  water  and  the  consequent  burning  of  the  crown-sheet. 
One  experience  with  low  water  should  be  a  sufficient  lesson 
for  all  time. 

Since  so  much  depends  upon  having  sufficient  water  in 
the  boiler,  the  gage-cocks  and  water-glass,  which  indicate 
the  amount  of  water,  should  be  kept  in  first-class  order. 

The  Gage-Cocks.  These  cocks  are  a  more  reliable 
means  of  indicating  the  amount  of  water  in  the  boiler  than 
the  water-glass,  although  not  so  convenient.  The  gage- 
cocks,  or  "try-cocks,"  as  they  are  sometimes  called,  should 
be  used  often  enough  to  prevent  them  from  becoming  filled 
with  lime  and  should  always  be  in  working  order.  When- 
ever opened,  the  steam  should  be  allowed  to  blow  through 
a  sufficient  time  to  clean  them.  They  should  then  be  closed 
moderately  tight,  and  then,  if  they  leak,  they  should  be 
opened  again  to  allow  any  dirt  or  scale  that  may  have  lodged 
on  the  seat  to  blow  out.  It  is  not  well  to  force  a  gage-cock 
or  other  valve  shut  to  stop  it  from  leaking,  for  probably  it 


l6  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

is  leaking  because  a  bit  of  scale  is  preventing  the  valve  from 
"seating."  The  forcing  simply  presses  this  bit  of  scale  or 
other  foreign  matter  into  the  seat  and  spoils  the  contact 
surfaces  so  the  valve  will  continue  to  leak  until  reground. 
Gage-cocks  and  other  valves  on  the  engine  should  not  be 
closed  very  tightly  when  cold,  for  when  heated,  the  expan- 
sion of  the  metal  will  press  the  valve  so  tightly  against  its 
seat  as  to  injure  it. 

The  Water-Gage.  The  water-gage  should  be  blown  out 
once  each  day,  to  clean  the  glass  and  prevent  the  upper  and 
lower  connections  from  getting  filled  with  lime  or  sediment. 
To  blow  out  the  lower  connection,  which  is  the  more  liable 
to  become  clogged,  open  pet  cock  and  close  upper  valve. 
Then  close  lower  valve  and  open  upper  one,  which  will 
blow  steam  through  the  upper  connection  and  also  the 
glass,  thereby  cleaning  it.  On  returning  to  the  engine 
in  the  morning,  or  after  dinner,  be  sure  that  no  one  has 
closed  the  valves  of  the  water-gage  during  your  absence. 
If  this  has  been  done,  the  glass  might  show  plenty  of 
water,  while  in  reality,  the  water  in  the  boiler  has  been 
reduced  to  a  low  level  by  blowing  off  or  by  some  other 
cause.  A  stoppage  in  the  valves,  when  the  engine  is  running, 
can  be  detected  by  the  water,  which  will  appear  quite  still 
instead  of  moving  a  little,  in  consequence  of  the  motion 
of  the  engine.  The  water  glass  should  be  kept  clean,  even  if 
the  other  parts  of  the  engine  be  neglected  in  this  respect.  A 
dirty  glass  indicates  that  the  engineer  is  careless  about  one 


THE    FEED    WATER.  17 

of  his  most  important  duties.  The  glass  can  be  cleaned  at 
any  time  by  wiping  the  outside  and  blowing  steam 
through  the  inside.  It  is  only  necessary,  in  wiping,  to  see 
that  it  is  not  scratched  by  sand  or  the  like,  for  scratches  are 
likely  to  cause  it  to  break.  An  old  glass  with  a  coating  on 
the  inside  that  steam  will  not  blow  out,  may  be  cleaned  by 
removing  it  from  the  connections  and  running  a  piece  of 
waste  or  cloth  through  it  with  a  stick.  Touching  a  glass  on 
the  inside  with  a  piece  of  metal  of  any  kind  is  almost  sure 
to  scratch  it  so  that  it  will  crack  when  the  steam  is  turned  on. 

Packing  the  Water-Glass.  The  best  method  of  packing 
the  water  glass  is  by  means  of  the  rubber  gaskets  made  for 
the  purpose.  These  may  be  purchased  for  a  few  cents. 
Candle  wicking,  hemp  or  asbestos  is  sometimes  used,  but 
any  of  these  packings  is  liable  to  become  displaced  and  cause 
trouble.  The  author  has  in  mind  a  case  in  which  a  crown 
sheet  was  badly  burnt  on  account  of  the  glass  not  showing 
the  true  level  of  the  water  in  the  boiler,  because  the  candle 
wicking,  with  which  it  was  packed,  was  forced,  by  the  tight- 
ening of  the  packing-nut,  over  the  lower  end  of  the  glass, 
practically  shutting  off  the  water. 

Broken  Water-Glass.  In  case  the  water  glass  breaks 
when  the  boiler  is  under  pressure,  shut  both  valves  to  stop 
the  escape  of  steam  and  water.  The  engine  can  be  run  by 
gage-cocks  until  a  new  glass  may  be  obtained.  If  a  new 
glass  be  at  hand,  it  may  be  put  in  at  once,  but  care  should 
be  taken  to  heat  it  gradually,  for  if  the  steam  be  turned  on 
suddenly,  it  will  break. 


l8  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

Injectors.  The  injector  has,  of  late  years,  reached  such 
a  state  of  perfection  as  to  make  it  the  most  convenient  of 
all  the  types  of  boiler  feeders.  Although  economical  in 
itself,  it  does  not  equal,  in  economy,  a  pump  used  in  connec- 
tion with  a  heater.  The  question  naturally  arises :  if  it  be 
economy  to  use  a  heater  in  connection  with  the  pump,  why 
not  with  the  injector  as  well  ?  Were  the  feed  water  from  the 
injector  piped  through  the  heater,  but  little  would  be  gained 
thereby,  because  the  injector  delivers  water  so  hot,  that  it 
would  absorb  but  little  additional  heat  during  its  passage 
through  the  heater.  Consequently,  the  pump,  with  heater, 
is  the  more  economical  because  it  utilizes  heat  from  the 
engine  exhaust  (which  would  otherwise  be  wasted),  to  heat 
the  water,  while  the  injector  heats  it  by  means  of  live  steam 
taken  from  the  boiler.  It  is  not  usual,  therefore,  to  pipe  the 
feed  water  from  an  injector  through  a  heater. 

To  Start  the  "Penberthy"  Injector.  With  pressure  under 
sixty-five  pounds,  the  valve  in  the  suction  pipe  should  be 
opened  one  turn,  the  steam  valve  may  then  be  opened  wide. 
The  injector  will  probably  start  off  at  once,  but  should  water 
run  from  the  overflow,  the  Auction  valve  should  be  slowly 
throttled  until  it  "picks  up."  If  hot  steam  and  water  issue 
from  the  overflow,  the  suction  should  be  opened  wider.  A 
little  practice  will  enable  one  to  set  the  valve  at  any  pressure, 
so  that  it  is  simply  necessary  to  turn  on  the  steam  to  start 
the  injector.  At  a  pressure  of  sixty-five  pounds  or  over,  the 
water  supply  valve  may  be  opened  wide,  but  it  is  better 
partly  to  close  it,  as  the  injector  will  deliver  hotter  water 


THE   FEED    WATER. 


STEAM 


when  the  supply  is  throttled.  The  injector  must  be  regulated 
by  the  suction  valve,  and  not  by  attempting  to  regulate  it  by 
the  steam  valve.  The  "Penberthy"  admits  of  considerable 
steam  variation.  At  thirty-five  pounds  steam  pressure,  the 
valve  in  suction  may  be  opened  as  wide  as  it  will  stand  and 
steam  can  rise  to  over  one  hundred  pounds  without  further 
adjusting. 

What  to  do  when  the  Injector  Fails  to  Work.  See  that 
the  suction  hose  and  connections  are  tight.  The  delivery 
pipe  may  be  "limed  up"  where  it  enters  the  boiler.  A  leaky 
check  valve  will  keep  the  injector  so  hot  as  to  prevent  it 
from  "picking  up"  water.  Dirt  may  be  lodged  in  the 

chamber  where  jets  "R"  and 
"S"  meet,  or  in  the  jet  "Y," 
the  drill  holes  or  the  nvun 
passage  way.  The  jets  may 
be  coated  with  lime,  and  if 
so,  they  should  be  soaked  in 
a  solution  composed  of  one 
part  of  muriatic  acid  to  ten 
parts  of  water.  Occasionally 
soak  the  whole  injector.  Do 
not  expect  an  injector  to 
work  well,  especially  at  high 
FIG.  2.  pressure,  if  the  tank  be  full 

SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  INJECTOR,  of  dirt  and  rubbish.  Some- 
times an  injector  will  work  well  for  a  long  time,  and  then 
begin  to  drizzle  at  the  overflow  under  the  same  pressures 


2O  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

at  which  it  once  worked  well.  This  indicates  that  the  pas- 
sage-ways in  jets  are  either  worn  or  are  contracted  with  lime. 
If  removing  the  lime  does  not  remedy  the  trouble,  the  over- 
flow valve  may  leak.  To  regrind  it,  remove  cap  "Z"  and 
spread  a  little  flour  of  emery,  mixed  with  oil  or  soap,  between 
the  valve  "P"  and  its  seat.  Then  with  a  screw  driver,  turn 
valve  "P"  back  and  forth,  which  will  grind  it  to  a  seat.  If 
the  injector  be  not  improved,  it  is  safe  to  conclude  that  some 
of  the  jets  are  worn  and  must  be  renewed.  These  are  sold 
separately,  and  are  listed  in  threshermen's  supply  catalogs. 
If  in  doubt  as  to  which  jet  is  at  fault,  procure  all  of  them  and 
try  one  after  another  until  the  injector  works  properly.  Any 
unused  jets  may  be  returned. 

Independent  Pumps.  This  is  the  name  given  to  pumps 
for  feeding  a  boiler,  which  are  operated  independently  of  the 
engine.  They  are,  in  fact,  small  engines  in  themselves,  con- 
nected directly  to  double-acting  pump  plungers.  An  inde- 
pendent pump  can  be  run  whether  the  engine  is  running  or 
not,  but  as  the  heater  is  effective  only  when  the  engine  is 
running,  it  is  best,  on  boilers  having  both  pump  and  injector 
to  use  the  injector  when  the  engine  is  not  running.  The 
Marsh  pump  has  an  exhaust  valve  for  turning  the  exhaust 
of  the  pump  in  with  the  feed  water.  This,  of  course,  heats 
the  feed  water  and  renders  the  pump  more  economical.  If, 
for  any  reason,  it  is  desired  to  use  the  pump  when  the  engine 
is  not  running,  the  exhaust  should  be  turned  in,  to  prevent 
putting  cold  water  into  the  boiler.  At  other  times,  however, 


THE   FEED    WATER.  21 

we  advise  engineers  to  allow  the  pump  to  exhaust  into  the 
air.  The  most  of  the  trouble  with  these  pumps  is  due  to 
insufficient  lubrication,  and  the  successful  operators  use 
plenty  of  cylinder  oil.  If  the  exhaust  be  turned  in  at  all 
times,  this  cylinder  oil  is  carried  into  the  boiler  where  it 
accumulates,  in  some  cases  in  sufficient  quantities  to  render 
it  dangerous  to  the  plates  of  the  boiler.  Consequently,  for 
this  reason  and  also  because  the  pump  is  more  easily  "kept 
up"  when  exhausting  in  the  air,  we  do  not  advise  turning 
the  exhaust  into  the  feed  water. 

Starting  the  "Marsh"  Pump.  Before  attaching  the  lubri- 
cator, it  is  a  good  plan  to  pour  some  cylinder  oil  into  the 
pipe.  To  start  the  pump,  first  see  that  the  valve  in  the  feed 
pipe,  between  the  check  valve  and  the  boiler,  is  open,  and 
that  the  exhaust  lever  is  thrown  towards  the  steam  end  of 
the  pump.  The  steam  may  now  be  turned  on,  and  if  the 
piston  rod  does  not  move  back  and  forth,  tap  the  starter-pins 
very  lightly.  It  is  well  to  run  the  pump  without  water  until 
thoroughly  oiled,  but  as  soon  as  it  is  running  smoothly,  the 
suction  may  be  opened.  Opening  the  cock  with  the  thread 
for  attaching  the  sprinkling  hose  or  the  small  air-cock  in  the 
water  chamber  will  aid  the  pump  in  "picking  up"  water. 

When  the  Pump  Will  Not  Start.  I.  If  the  pump  does 
not  start  when  steam  is  turned  on,  push  the  starter-pins 
alternately,  to  see  if  the  valve  moves  easily  back  and  forth. 
If  the  valve  sticks,  do  not  hammer  the  starter-pins  or  force 
them  too  hard,  but  remove  the  valve  in  order  to  locate  the 


22  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

trouble.  This  is  done  by  removing  the  steam  chest  heads 
through  which  the  starter-pins  pass,  and  unscrewing  the 
valve,  which  is  done  by  holding  one  end  while  unscrewing 
the  other,  by  means  of  the  two  special  socket  wrenches  fur- 
nished for  the  purpose.  If  the  pump  has  been  idle  for  a 
time,  the  valve  may  be  rusty  or  gummy,  in  which  case  it 
should  be  cleaned  with  kerosene  oil.  Before  replacing  the 
caps,  push  the  valve  back  and  forth  as  far  as  it  will  go  and 
see  that  it  is  perfectly  free.  Also  see  that  the  starter-pins 
are  free  and  are  not  stuck  by  tight  packing  or  have  become 
loosened.  Pull  them  out  as  far  as  they  will  go.  2.  The 
steam  pipe  may  be  obstructed  so  that  the  pump  does  not  re- 
ceive a  sufficient  supply  of  steam.  A  screen  gasket  is  placed 
in  the  steam  pipe  union  in  order  to  prevent  scale  or  chips, 
in  a  newly  connected  pipe,  from  reaching  the  pump.  If 
steam  does  not  reach  the  pump,  this  screen  should  be  ex- 
amined as  it  may  be  partly  or  entirely  clogged.  When  the 
pipe  has  been  thoroughly  blown  out,  this  screen  gasket  may 
be  removed  and  a  plain  rubber  or  lead  gasket  used.  3.  Re- 
move the  cylinder  heads  and  see  that  the  piston  moves  freely, 
and  that  the  nut  on  the  water  end  of  the  piston  rod  is  prop- 
erly tightened.  This  nut  may  have  worked  partly  or  entirely 
off,  thus  preventing  a  complete  stroke.  4.  Remove  the 
steam  chest  and  see  that  the  small  "trip"  holes  near  the  steam 
chest  and  the  corresponding  holes  in  the  steam  cylinder  are 
open.  If  the  pump  has  been  idle  for  a  time,  these  holes 
are  liable  to  have  become  stopped  with  rust.  Before 


THE   FEED   WATER.  23 

replacing  the  steam  chest,  see  that  the  packing  is  in  good 
order.  5  If  the  pump  has  been  in  use  some  time,  or  has 
not  been  sufficiently  oiled,  the  valve  may  have  become  worn 
and  leaky.  This  is  not  so  likely  to  occur  on  the  "C"  size,  as 
on  the  smaller  pumps.  When  it  does  happen,  the  remedy  is 
a  new  valve  and  steam  chest. 


Steam  End 


Water  End 


FIG.    3.       SECTIONAL   VIEW    OF    MARSH    PUMP. 

When  the  Pump  will  not  Lift  Water.  If  the  pump  runs 
all  right  when  steam  is  turned  on,  but  will  not  "pick  up" 
water,  opening  the  drain  cock  in  the  boiler  feed  pipe  will 
relieve  the  pressure  on  the  discharge  valves.  I.  See  that  the 
suction  hose  and  its  connections  are  free  from  leaks  and 
that  the  screen  is  not  covered  with  rags,  waste,  leaves  or  the 


24  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

like.  If  this  hose  has  been  in  use  for  some  time,  see  that 
it  is  sufficiently  firm  not  to  collapse  or  flatten,  and  that  its 
rubber  lining  has  not  become  loosened  so  as  to  choke  or  stop 
the  water  supply.  2.  Remove  the  air  chamber  and  look  for 
dirt  under  the  water  valves.  3.  If  the  pump  has  been  in 
use  for  a  time  the  water-piston  packing  may  leak.  Where 
dirty  water  is  used,  this  packing  must  be  frequently  renewed. 
Directions  for  re-packing  are  given  below. 

When  the  Pump  almost  stops  after  lifting  water,  the 
trouble  is  in  the  delivery  or  feed  pipe.  Opening  the  cock 
in  this  pipe  will  relieve  the  pressure  and  allow  the  pump  to 
run  faster.  Possibly  the  angle  valve  near  the  boiler  has 
been  left  closed.  The  check  valve  in  the  feed  pipe  should 
be  examined,  for  which  purpose  the  angle  valve,  between 
it  and  the  boiler,  can  be  closed.  If  nothing  be  found,  the 
stem  should  be  removed  from  this  angle  valve,  and  probably 
the  pipe  will  be  found  nearly  filled  with  lime  at  the  point 
at  which  it  enters  the  boiler.  This  may  be  cleaned  by 
driving  a  bolt  into  it.  Of  course,  the  angle  valve  stem 
can  only  be  removed  when  the  boiler  is  cold. 

Packing  the  Pump.  The  successful  operation  of  this 
pump  depends  very  much  upon  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
packed.  In  renewing  the  water  piston  packing,  do  not  com- 
press the  packing  too  much.  It  should  be  reduced,  if  too 
thick.  When  properly  packed,  the  piston  may  be  readily 
moved  by  hand.  The  nut  on  the  end  of  the  piston  rod 
should  be  tightened  to  bring  the  follower  to  place.  The 


THE    FEED    WATER. 


packing  between  the  steam  chest  and  the  cylinder  should  be 
made  of  heavy  manilla  paper  or  light  rubber,  and  must  be 
patterned  from  the  planed  surface  top  of  the  steam  cylinder, 
(not  the  lower  part  of  the  chest),  and  all  holes  must  be  care- 
fully duplicated,  so  that  the  drilled  holes  at  each  end  are 
wholly  unobstructed  at  their  points  of  register  with  the  cor- 
responding holes  in  the  chest.  The  packing  under  the  valve 
plate  must  be  patterned  from  the  faced  top  of  water  cylin- 
der, and  the  packing  over  the  valve  plate  from  the  bottom 
face  of  the  air  chamber.  The  steam  cylinder  head  must  not 
be  packed  with  anything  thicker  than  heavy  paper  or  the 
thinnest  rubber.  If  a  thick  gasket  be  used,  the  piston  will 
overrun  the  ports,  and  its.  operation  be  interfered  with. 

Check-Valves.  A  check- valve  allows  the  water  or  other 
fluid  to  flow  in  one  direction,  by  raising  the  valve  from 
its  seat,  but  when  water  attempts  to  "back  up/'  or  flow  in 

the    opposite    direction, 


the  valve  prevents  this 
by  closing.  With  any 
style  of  boiler-feeder,  a 
check-valve  is  placed  in 
the  feed-pipe,  and  usual- 
ly near  the  boiler.  Be- 
tween the  check-valve 
and  boiler  is  placed  a 

SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  CHECK-VALVE. 

globe    or    angle    valve 
which  may  be  closed,  allowing  the  check  valve  to  be  opened 


26  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

when  the  boiler  is  under  steam  pressure.  If  the  pump  or 
injector  shows,  by  heat  or  other  indications,  that  water  and 
steam  are  "backing  up"  through  the  feed  pipes  from  the 
boiler,  it  indicates  that  the  check-valve  is  not  acting.  When 
the  valve  "sticks"  and  will  not  close,  a  very  slight  tap  may 
cause  it  to  "seat,"  but  if  this  does  not,  close  the  valve  be- 
tween it  and  boiler,  then  take  off  the  cap  and  remove  dirt 
or  scale  that  may  be  preventing  it  from  closing  tightly.  If 
no  foreign  matter  be  found,  examine  the  valve  and  seat  to 
determine  if  the  contact  surfaces  be  perfect.  If  scale  be 
found  adhering  to  either,  it  should  be  removed,  but  if  it  be 
"pitted,"  regrinding  is  necessary.  Although  a  slight  tap 
will  often  cause  a  check-valve  to  seat,  it  is  poor  practice  to 
constantly  or  violently  hammer  the  valve,  as  the  seat  may  be 
distorted,  and  the  entire  valve  ruined  thereby.  Many  valves 
are  also  distorted  and  ruined  because  a  wrench  has  been  used 
on  one  end  while  screwing  a  pipe  into  the  other.  Many 
valves  are  burst  during  cold  weather  by  frost.  To  prevent 
this,  the  angle  valve  near  boiler  must  be  closed  and  the 
check-valve  and  pipe  drained. 

Regrinding  Check-Valves.  Many  engineers  discard  .leaky 
valves  as  worthless,  in  ignorance  of  the  ease  with  which 
they  may  be  re-ground.  The  swing  check  is  easily  re-ground 
without  disconnecting  it  from  the  pipe.  To  regrind,  unscrew 
angle  plug,  put  a  little  flour  of  emery,  mixed  with  oil  or 
soap,  on  the  bottom  of  valve  and  turn  it  back  and  forth 
with  a  screw  driver  until  the  contact  surfaces  are  perfect. 


THE    FEED   WATER.  27 

Feed-Water  Heaters.  A  feed-water  heater  heats  the  feed 
water  delivered  by  the  pump,  by  passing  it  through  pipes 
surrounded  by  exhaust  steam  from  the  engine.  In  this  way, 
the  feed  water  carries  into  the  boiler  the  heat  it  has  absorbed 
from  the  exhaust  steam,  and  which  would  otherwise  be 
wasted.  The  interior  of  the  "Case"  heater  is  shown  in  the 
accompanying  sectional  view.  Tubes  (A),  (three  or  more 
in  number),  are  tightly  calked  in  the  inner  heads  (B).  Gas 
pipes  (C)  pass  through  the  tubes,  their  ends  being  held  in 
place  by  sockets  cast  on  the  outer  heads.  The  outer  heads 
are  secured  by  four  stud  bolts,  which  screw  into  the  heater 


FIG.    5.       SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF      CASE      HEATER. 


body,  and  are  made  tight  by  gaskets.  The  exhaust  from 
the  engine  enters  the  heater  at  E,  surrounding  the  tubes, 
and  passing  out  at  F.  The  water  from  the  pump  enters 
through  the  head  at  D,  passes  out  at  the  other  end  and 
into  the  pipe  G  to  the  boiler.  In  going  through  the  heater, 
the  water  is  obliged  to  pass  through  the  annular  spaces, 
formed  by  the  inside  of  tubes  and  the  outside  of  gas  pipes, 
in  films  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  thick.  Two  cocks 
are  screwed  into  the  bottom  of  the  heater,  one  of  which 


28  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

drains  the  steam  space  and  the  other  the  water  space.  The 
steam  space  may  be  drained  before  starting  the  engine,  in 
order  to  prevent  water  from  being  thrown  from  the  smoke 
stack.  Both  water  and  steam  spaces  must  be  drained  in 
cold  weather,  to  prevent  freezing. 

Testing  and  Repairing  the  Heater.  If  you  suspect  that 
the  heater  leaks,  it  may  be  tested  by  opening  cock  farthest 
from  the  end,  letting  all  the  condensed  exhaust  escape. 
Next  start  the  pump,  but  let  the  engine  stand  still.  If  water 
issues  from  this  cock,  it  shows  that  the  heater  leaks.  Re- 
pairs are  easily  made  by  removing  the  heads.  The  tubes 
may  be  tightened,  or  renewed,  if  necessary,  in  exactly  the 
same  manner  as  those  in  the  boiler. 


CHAPTER   III. 

FIRING    WITH    VARIOUS    FUELS. 

k  O  maintain  a  uniform  steam  pressure  with  any 
kind  of  fuel,  the  draft  should  be  sufficient 
and  the  fire  should  be  supplied  with  air  from 
below.  No  cold  air  should  be  allowed  to 
get  to  the  tubes  except  by  passing  through 
live  coals  that  may  ignite  fresh  fuel.  The 
cone  screen  in  the  stack  should  be  straight 
and  the  exhaust  nozzle  should  be  pointed  straight  with  the 
stack.  This  latter  is  of  great  importance. 

With  any  kind  of  fuel,  the  ash  pan  must  not  be  allowed 
to  fill  up,  or  warped  and  melted  grates  are  sure  to  result. 
There  is  no  excuse  for  allowing  the  ash  pan  to  fill  up,  and 
a  good  engineer  never  permits  it  to  do  so. 

Firing  with  Coal.  Keep  the  grates  well  covered,  but  with 
as  thin  a  fire  as  possible.  Do  not  throw  in  large  lumps  of 
coal  or  put  in  very  much  at  a  time.  A  thin  fire  lightly  and 
frequently  renewed  is  the  most  economical.  The  engine 
should  be  allowed  to  blow  off  once  a  day  to  see  if  the  steam 
gage  and  pop  valve  agree,  but  if  the  pop  valve  frequently 
opens,  it  is  an  indication  that  the  fireman  is  either  careless 
or  unable  to  control  his  fire. 

The  best  way  to  check  the  rise  of  steam  is  to  start  the 

29 


30  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

injector,  but  if  the  boiler  be  too  full,  the  damper  may  be 
closed.  Another  way  is  to  open  the  fire  door  an  inch, 
leaving  the  damper  open,  but  the  door  should  never  be  held 
open  more  than  this  amount.  This  will  do  no  harm  to  tubes 
or  boiler,  but  never  open  the  door  and  close  the  damper  at 
the  same  time,  when  the  engine  is  running.  When  the 
engine  is  to  be  shut  down  for  any  length  of  time  the  smoke- 
box  door  may  be  opened  to  check  the  fire. 

Some  grades  of  coal  will  form  clinkers  that  cover  the 
grates  and  shut  off  the  air  siipply.  These  must  be  kept 
out  by  removing  through  the  fire  door,  but  do  not  use  the 
poker  when  it  can  be  avoided,  or  keep  the  door  open  longer 
than  is  necessary.  When  troubled  with  clinkers,  make  it  a 
point  to  clean  the  fire  at  noon  or  at  any  time  the  engine  may 
be  stopped.  The  tubes  should  be  cleaned  at  least  once  a 
day. 

One  or  two  of  the  bricks  for  straw  burners  can  be  used 
to  advantage  in  burning  coal.  They  make  better  combustion 
with  poor  coal,  render  the  fire  easier  to  control  and  by  main- 
taining a  more  uniform  heat  in  the  fire-box,  are  easier  on  the 
boiler. 

Firing  with  Wood.  The  manner  of  firing  with  wood 
depends  entirely  upon  the  fuel,  and  must  be  learned  by  ex- 
perience. When  the  wood  is  soft,  or  the  sticks  small  or 
crooked,  it  will  be  necessary  to  lay  the  pieces  as  compactly 
as  possible,  and  keep  the  fire-box  full  all  the  time.  Straight, 
heavy  sticks  of  hardwood,  on  the  other  hand,  must  be  placed 


WITti    VARIOUS    FUELS.  31 

so  that  the  flames  can  pass  freely  between  them.  The  real* 
dirait  door  Should  be  opened  wide  and  the  front  one  opened 
only  enough  to  admit  sufficient  air.  See  that  the  front  end 
of  the  grates  (next  to  the  tube  sheet)  is  kept  well  covered. 
If  cold  air  be  allowed  to  pass  through  to  the  tubes  at  this 
point,  the  draft  will  be  destroyed.  To  get  satisfactory  results, 
it  is  often  necessary  to  cover  the  front  end  of  the  grates,  for 
a  space  of  eight  inches,  with  a  "dead-plate."  A  wood  fire 
requires  an  occasional  "knocking-down,"  but  as  with  coal  it 
is  a  good  plan  not  to  use  the  poker  more  than  is  absolutely 
necessary.  In  "knocking-down"  do  not  disturb  the  hot 
coals  on  the  grates.  In  firing  with  wood  it  is  advisable  to 
keep  the  screen  in  the  smoke-stack  down  as  there  is  more 
danger  of  setting  fire  with  wood  than  with  coal. 

Firing  with  Straw.  Modern  "Case"  straw  burning  en- 
gines are  all  of  the  direct  flue  type.  They  ate  the  same  as 
the  coal  burners,  except  that  they  are  fitted  with  straw 
grates,  dead-plates,  a  brick  arch  and  a  straw  chute  and  the 
boiler  is  lagged.  (See  Fig.  6.)  Any  "Case"  side-crank 
spring-mounted  engine,  except  the  Nine-Horse,  can  be  made 
to  burn  straw  by  making  these  changes. 

When  firing  with  straw,  keep  the  chute  full  all  the  time, 
so  that  no  cold  air  can  get  in  on  top  of  the  fire.  Take  small 
forkfuls  and  let  each  bunch  of  straw  push  the  preceding  one 
into  the  fire.  Occasionally  turn  the  fork  over  and  run  it  in 
below  the  straw  in  the  chute  to  break  down  and  level  up  the 
fire.  Three  grates,  spaced  equally  across  the  fire  box,  are 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

better  than  more.    Keep  about  fifteen  inches  of  the  front  of 
the  ash  pan  clean,  to  allow  plenty  of  draft,  but  let  ashes 


WAGON    JOP 


0000000    MOO  000  00  00 


FIG.   6.      SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  FIRE  BOX    FOR  BURNING   STRAW. 


fill  up  in  the  rear  part.     Four  bricks  must  be  used.     Keep 
rear  draft  door  shut. 

The  flame  coming  Over  the  brick  arch  as  seen  through 

e  peep  hole  should  appear  white  hot,  and  should  be  con- 

ious  and  not  be  stopped  or  checked  each  time  the  straw  is 

pushed  in,  as  will  be  the  case  if  firing  be  too  heavy  or  too 

nud,  be  put  in  at  a  time.     Sometimes  straw,   especially 

when  damp,  is  pu]led  over  againgt  ^  ^  Qf  ^  ^ 

This  may  be  scraped  off  with  the  poker,  through  the  peep- 
ole.    The  tubes  should  be  cleaned  once  a  day 


FIRING    WITH    VARIOUS    FUELS.  33 

The  draft  should  be  strong  enough  to  make  the  fire  burn 
freely  and  at  a  white  heat.  It  may  be  necessary  to  reduce 
the  exhaust  nozzle  to  get  the  proper  draft,  but  it  should 
never  be  reduced  more  than  is  necessary,  as  back  pressure 
reduces  the  power  of  the  engine.  If  unburnt  straw  be  seen 
coming  out  of  the  smoke-stack,  it  shows  the  exhaust  nozzle 
is  too  small.  Do  not  expect  the  engine  to  steam  well  when 
the  front  end  of  the  boiler  is  low.  The  engine  should  be  level 
or  a  little  high  in  front.  If  the  engine  has  been  steamed  up 
for  some  time  without  running,  the  screen  in  the  smoke- 
stack may  be  so  filled  up  as  to  seriously  interfere  with  the 
draft. 

Exhaust  Nozzles.  Case  engines  are  equipped  with  ex- 
haust nozzles  as  follows :  The  Nine-^Horse  power  engines 
have  exhaust  elbows  with  one  and  one-half  inch  opening, 
and  brass  nozzles  for  reducing  this  to  one  and  one-quarter, 
or  one  and  one-eighth  inches.  The  Twelve-Horse  power 
engines  have  exhaust  elbows  with  one  and  one-half  inch 
opening,  and  nozzles  for  reducing  this  to  one  and  three- 
eighths,  or  one  and  one-quarter  inches.  The  Fifteen  and 
Twenty-Horse  power  engines  have  exhaust  elbows  with 
one  and  three-quarter  inch  openings,  and  brass  nozzles  for 
reducing  this  to  one  and  one-half  or  one  and  one-quarter 
inches.  The  Twenty-five  Horse  power  engines  have  exhaust 
elbows  with  two  and  one-quarter  inch  opening,  and  brass 
nozzles  for  reducing  this  to  one  and  three-quarter  or  one 
and  one-half  inches. 


CHAPTER   IV. 
LUBRICATION  AND  ADJUSTMENT  OF  BEARINGS. 

EEP  the  bearings  of  the  engine  well  oiled  if 
you  would  have  it  last  and  not  cause  trouble. 
By  "well  oiled"  is  not  meant  that  it  should 
be  "swimming"  in  oil,  but  that  its  bearings 
should  be  always  lubricated.  It  does  not 
take  very  much  good  oil  to  keep  a  bearing 
properly  lubricated,  but  you  should  apply  it 
often  and  be  sure  that  it  reaches  the  place  intended.  Many 
of  the  oils  now  on  the  market  are  largely  adulterated  with 
rosin  and  paraffine,  and,  though  having  an  excellent  appear- 
ance, have  poor  lubricating  qualities,  are  gummy  and  dry 
up  in  a  short  time.  The  oil-boxes  on  the  crank-shaft  bear- 
ings, and  wherever  possible  elsewhere,  should  be  filled  with 
wool  or  cotton  waste  to  retain  the  oil  and  keep  out  sand  and 
grit.  The  covers  of  these  oil  boxes  should  be  kept  closed. 

Cylinder  Lubrication.  Use  a  good  quality  of  Valve  or 
Cylinder  Oil  in  the  lubricator  or  the  oil-pump,  as  it  is  very 
important  that  the  piston  and  valve  should  be  well  lubricated 
with  an  oil  that  will  stand  the  high  temperatures  of  the  steam. 
Do  not  imagine  that  a  large  quantity  of  cheap  oil  will  do 
in  the  cylinder.  Nothing  but  first-class  cylinder  oil  will 
answer,  and  it  must  be  used  in  sufficient  quantities.  Cylin- 

35 


36  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


der  oil  is  quite  thicjfc,  especially  in  cold  weather,  and  it  is 
much  easier  to  filrthe  lubricators  if  the  oil  be  warmed  and 
the  cups  heated  by  blowing  a  little  steam  through  them.  An 
expert  is  often  called  to  an  engine  because  of  the  valve  being 
"off"  when  the  trouble  is  only  poor  cylinder  lubrication. 

Hard  Oil  has  many  qualities  to  recommend  it.  It  stays 
on  the  bearing,  and  as  it  wears  well,  a  little  of  it  will  go  a 
long  way.  The  usual  method  of  applying  hard  oil  is  by 
means  of  compression  cups,  of  which  the  one  used  on  the 
cross-head  is  an  example.  Each  time  the  engine  is  stopped, 
the  cup  should  be  turned  to  take  up  the  "slack"  and  force  in 
a  little  grease. 

Approximate  Cost  of  Oils.  The  price  of  oil  varies  so 
greatly  that  no  specific  figures  can  be  given.  However,  it 
may  be  stated  that  good  lubricating  oil  cannot  be  purchased 
in  quantities  of  five-  or  ten-gallon  lots  at  less  than  twenty-five 
cents  per  gallon,  while  cylinder-oil,  in  like  quantities,  cannot 
be  purchased  ordinarily  at  less  than  fifty  cents  per  gallon, 
These  are  minimum  figures,  and  in  localities  where  commod- 
ities in  general  are  high,  the  retail  prices  of  good  oils  may  be 
twice  as  high  as  those  quoted,  or  even  more. 

The  "Ideal"  Spring  Grease  Cup.  This  is  a  compression 
cup  in  which  the  hard  oil  is  forced  out  by  a  plunger  pressed 
down  by  a  spring.  The  action  of  the  spring  is  limited  by  a 
thumb  screw  so  that  only  the  desired  amount  of  grease  will 
be  fed.  This  cup  is  used  on  the  crank-pin  of  all  Case  engines. 
To  fill,  raise  the  plunger  by  screwing  down  the  thumb  nut  as 


LUBRICATION    AND    ADJUSTMENT    OF    BEARINGS. 


37 


far  as  it  will  go.  Then  remove  the  cap,  fill  the  cup  with 
grease  and  replace  the  cap.  Unscrewing  the  thumb  nut  will 
cause  the  spring  to  force  some  of  the  grease  down  to  the 
journal.  The  size  of  the  hole  through  the  shank  can  be 

adjusted  by  the  regulating  screw, 
to  feed  the  required  amount  of 
grease.  The  hole  in  the  screw 
is  in  line  with  the  slot  in  its  head. 
If  it  be  desired  to  stop  the  flow 
of  grease,  turn  the  thumb  nut 
down  to  the  cap  which  will  re- 
lieve the  spring  of  tension.  If 
the  plunger  turns  when  screw- 
ing the  thumb  nut,  it  may  be 
held  by  the  knurled  head  of  the 


FIG.  8. 

SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF 
"IDEAL"  CUP. 


screw. 


To  Attach  Oil  Pump  to  "Case"  Engines.  The  body  of 
the  pump  is  attached  to  the  steam  chest  by  a  stud  bolt,  which 
is  located  one  inch  from  the  top  of  the  chest,  and  one  and 
three-quarter  inches  from  the  back  of  the  chest  cover  flange. 
When  the  hole  for  the  stud  bolt  is  drilled  it  must  be  tapped 
so  that  the  five-eighth  inch  stud  bolt  will  screw  in  steam- 
tight.  The  rod  for  operating  the  ratchet  may  be  attached  to 
the  rocker-arm  of  any  "Case"  simple  engine.  To  locate  the 
hole  for  the  shoulder-bolt  in  the  rocker-arm,  measure  five 
inches  below  the  center  of  rocker-arm  bearing,  and  one-half 
inch  from  the  edge  of  the  arm.  This  hole  should  be  three- 


38 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


eighths  inch  in  diameter.  Compound  engines,  (excepting 
the  25  H.  P.),  have  a  slide  in  place  of  the  rocker-arm,  and 
on  these  engines  the  ratchet-rod  is  attached  to  the 

eccentric-rod  by  means  of  a 
clamp,  provided  for  this  pur- 
pose. On  portable  engines, 
the  ratchet-rod  must  be  at- 
tached to  the  valve  slide,  the 
three-eighth  inch  hole  for 
the  shoulder  bolt  being  lo- 
cated  two  and  one-half 
FIG.  9.  OIL  PUMP  ATTACHED,  inches  from  the  top  and 
seven-eighths  inch  from  the  front  edge  of  the  slide.  After  the 
pump  body  is  attached,  the  ratchet-rod  may  be  placed  in  posi- 
tion, one  end  being  on  the  shoulder  bolt  of  the  rocker-arm  or 
clamp,  an<i  the  other  passing  through  the  knuckle-joint  on  the 
sliding  ratchet-arm.  Having  connected  the  ratchet-rod,  screw 
the  gravity  check  valve  into  the  hole  in  the  throttle,  using  a 
bushing  to  bring  it  to  the  right  size.  The  soft  one-quarter 
inch  tubing  may  be  bent  to  bring  its  ends  in  proper  position 
in  order  to  make  the  connections  at  the  unions. 

Instead  of  placing  the  oil  pump  on  the  steam  chest,  it  may 
be  attached  to  the  cylinder  flange  of  the  engine  frame.  To 
do  this,  one  of  the  studs  must  be  replaced  by  another  of  suf- 
ficient length  to  take  the  lug  on  the  bottom  of  the  pump  body. 
This  avoids  the  necessity  of  boring  a  hole  into  the  steam 
chest  ;  but  in  all  cases,  it  is  best  to  have  the  pump-body  rest 


LUBRICATION    AND   ADJUSTMENT    OF    BEARINGS. 


39 


on  the  steam  chest,  for  by  this  method,  the  oil  is  kept  warm 
and  fluid  in  cold  weather. 

To  Attach  the  "Swift"  Lubricator.  The  cylinder-oil  for 
lubricating  the  cylinder  and  the  valve  should  be  introduced 
into  the  steam-pipe  and  if  possible  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  oil  passes  through  the  throttle  and  the  governor  thus 
lubricating  them.  The  lubricators  have  a  little  brass  pipe 
extending  beyond  the  shank  as  shown  in  the  cut  at  H.  This 
pipe  discharges  the  oil  and  must  extend  into  the  interior  of 
the  steam-pipe  or  the  lubricator  will  not  work.  If  lost  out  or 
injured,  it  must  be  replaced.  In  case  the  lubricator  does  not 
work'  properly,  examine  this  pipe. 

To  Operate  "Swift"  Lubricator. 
Close  valves  E  and  G,  remove  cap  F 
and  fill  the  oil  reservoir  full  of  oil  to 
the  very  top.  Replace  cap  F.  The 
bright  plate  that  shows  the  sight  feed 
should  be  completely  covered  with  oil. 
Now  open  valve  E  about  one-half 
FIG.  10.  turn,  then  open  valve  G  very  carefully 

"SWIFT"  LUBRICATOR,  and  drops  of  water  will  commence  to 
roll  down  over  the  bright  plate ;  avoid  opening  too  wide,  as 
a  stream  could  be  run  over  the  plate  and  the  oil  wasted. 
When  the  oil  is  nearly  exhausted  from  the  cup,  water  com- 
mences to  show  at  the  bottom  of  glass  D,  and  gradually 
rises  until  it  reaches  the  lower  edge  of  the  bright  plate.  The 
cup  should  then  be  refilled.  To  do  this,  close  valves  E  and 


40  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

G,  open  the  drain  and  remove  cap  F  to  drain  the  water,  then 
close  I  and  proceed  as  above.  When  the  engine  is  shut  down, 
close  valve  G. 

When  Lubricator  Fails  to  Work.  If  the  Lubricator 
should  become  clogged  from  impurities  in  the  oil,  remove 
cap  F  and  glass  D,  then  open  valves  G  and  E,  and  the 
passages  will  be  cleaned  by  steam  pressure.  In  blowing 
remove  cap  F  and  glass  D,  then  open  valves  G  and  E,  and 
the  passages  will  be  cleaned  by  steam  pressure.  In  blowing 
live  steam  through  the  Lubricator  to  clean  out  the  passages, 
always  take  off  the  nut  D  holding  the  sight  feed  glass  before 
doing  so.  for  if  this  be  not  done,  the  steam  would  heat  the 
glass  and  render  it  liable  to  break  when  the  oil  comes  in  con- 
tact with  it.  Many  cups  are  ruined  by  two  causes,  viz :  By 
freezing  and  by  straining.  In  cold  weather  the  cups  should 
be  drained  before  leaving  the  engine.  The  valve  E  should 
be  slightly  opened,  except  when  filling,  for  if  left  closed,  the 
expansion  of  cold  oil  having  no  relief  will  strain  the  cup. 

The  little  bright  plate  that  shows  the  sight  feed  drops 
should  be  kept  clean  and  bright  by  an  occasional  wiping  with 
a  little  silver  polish ;  if  this  be  not  done,  it  becomes  tarnished 
and  does  not  show  the  feed  properly.  When  a  glass  breaks, 
if  an  extra  one  be  not  at  hand,  a  coin  may  be  put  in  and  the 
cup  run  "blind  feed"  until  a  new  one  is  procured.  A  quarter 
is  the  right  size  for  the  large  lubricator  and  a  five-cent  piece 
for  the  one  on  the  pump. 

Packing.     The  nut  that  holds  the  sight-feed  glass  must 


LUBRICATION    AND   ADJUSTMENT    OF    BEARINGS.  4! 

not  be  screwed  up  too  tightly.  If  screwing  up  moderately 
tight  does  not  stop  leakage,  put  in  new  gaskets  on  both  sides 
of  the  glass.  In  repacking  the  sight-feed  glass,  first  remove 
every  particle  of  the  old  packing.  Two  kinds  of  gaskets 
are  furnished.  Put  a  soft  rubber  one  next  to  the  glass  on 
both  sides  and  a  red  fibre  one  next  to  the  nut.  Usually  this 
nut  can  be  screwed  up  with  the  fingers  tight  enough  to  pre- 
vent leaking.  The  valve  stems  may  be  packed  with  Italian 
hemp  or  candle  wicking. 

Adjustment  of  Bearings.  In  adjusting  the  bearings  of 
the  engine,  take  up  just  a  little  of  the  lost  motion  at  a  time, 
until  the  pounding  is  stopped.  Do  not  attempt  to  take  it 
all  out  at  once,  for  in  so  doing  there  is  risk  of  heating  and 
cutting.  The  young  engineer  often  finds  it  difficult  to  locate 
a  "pound"  in  an  engine,  but  an  experienced  man  can 
usually  tell  where  it  is  by  taking  hold  of  the  connecting-rod 
or  eccentric-rod  as  the  engine  runs.  A  good  plan,  and  one 
that  will  often  show  where  the  trouble  lies,  is  to  have  a  man 
take  hold  of  the  fly-wheel  and  turn  it  an  inch  or  so  back  and 
forth.  By  watching  the  crank-box,  cross-head,  main  bear- 
ings and  the  reverse,  any  lost  motion  can  be  seen. 

The  Connecting- Rod  Brasses  are  ed justed  by  loosening 
the  jam  nut  at  the  bottom  and  turning  the  head  of  the  bolt, 
which  will  raise  the  wedge,  and  crowd  the  two  halves  of  the 
box  together.  When  the  halves  of  the  brasses  touch,  they 
must  be  taken  out  and  filed.  To  take  out  the  brasses  for 
filing,  remove  the  connecting-rod  in  the  following  manner: 


42  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

Turn  the  engine  so  that  the  cross-head  pin  comes  opposite 
the  hole  in  the  engine  frame  nearest  the  crank.  Take  off 
the  washer  on  the  crank  pin  and  remove  the  grease  cup  and 
the  nut  from  the  cross-head  pin.  Drive  the  cross-head  pin 
out  with  a  wood  block,  turn  the  engine  on  rear  dead  center, 
and  the  connecting-rod  may  be  lifted  off.  Set  the  wedges 
down  as  far  as  they  will  go,  and  take  out  the  adjusting  bolts. 


FIG.    II.      THE    CONNECTING-ROD. 

The  wedge  and  half  of  the  box  next  to  it  may  be  driven  out 
from  the  inner  side  with  a  wood  block.  Before  taking  off 
the  connecting-rod,  make  a  scratch  across  the  wedges  and 
the  rod  end,  so  that  in  putting  them  back  the  wedge  may  be 
set  in  the  same  position  as  before. 

As  the  .pressure  is  nearly  all  endwise  on  the  rod,  the  holes 
in  the  brasses  will  tend  to  wear  in  an  oval  shape,  so  that 
when  the  boxes  are  tightened,  they  will  bind  at  the  top  and 
bottom,  causing  them  to  heat,  while  they  still  pound  endwise. 
To  obviate  this  difficulty,  the  boxes  should  be  "relieved"  at 
the  top  and  the  bottom  by  filing  with  a  half-round  file.  They 
should  not  touch  the  pin  for  a  distance  of  one-half  to  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  each  side  of  the  joint.  In  time,  the 
brasses  will  have  worn  so  much  that  the  wedge  strikes  against 


LUBRICATION    AND    ADJUSTMENT    OF    BEARINGS.  43 

the  top.  Shims  made  of  sheet-iron  of  the  proper  thickness 
must  now  be  inserted.  These  should  be  put  in  on  both  sides 
of  the  brasses  so  as  to  not  change  the  length  of  the  rod,  and 
make  it  necessary  to  re-divide  the  clearance. 

It  is  best  to  take  off  the  connecting-rod  when  the  engine 
is  cold ;  if  it  be  taken  off  when  the  boiler  is  under  steam  pres- 
sure, and  the  throttle  should  accidentally  be  left  open,  or 
should  leak,  the  piston  may  be  driven  through  the  cylinder 
with  force  enough  to  do  serious  damage. 

To  Divide  the  Clearance.  The  clearance  of  an  engine 
is  the  cubical  contents  of  the  port,  from  the  face  of  the  valve 
to  the  cylinder,  including  the  space  between  the  piston  and 
the  cylinder  head  when  the  engine  is  on  dead-center.  To 
divide  the  clearance,  loosen  the  clamp  bolt  and  the  jam  nut 
on  the  piston  rod  and  unscrew  the  rod  from  the  cross-head 
until  the  piston  strikes  the  cylinder-head  as  the  crank  passes 
the  head  dead-center ;  then  screw  in  the  rod  until  the  piston 
strikes  the  other  cylinder  head  as  the  engine  passes  the  other 
dead-center  carefully  counting  the  number  of  turns  of  the 
rod.  Now  unscrew  the  rod  half  the  number  of  turns  counted 
and  the  clearance  will  be  divided.  Tighten  the  clamp  bolt 
and  the  jam  nut. 

The  Shoes  of  the  Cross-Head  are  adjusted  by  loosening 
the  four  cap  screws,  (E),  and  screwing  up  the  four  set 
screws,  (F),  to  force  the  shoes  against  the  guides.  This 
will  leave  a  space  between  the  shoes  and  cross-head  into, 
which  sheet-iron  shims  should  be  inserted.  If  these  shims 


44 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


be  of  the  .right  thickness  to  just  fill  the  space,  loosening  the 
set-screws  and  tightening  the  cap-screws  will  leave  the  shoes 
free  to  run  and  with  no  lost  motion.  When  the  engine  runs 
"under,"  as  in  threshing,  the  wear  is  mostly  on  the  upper 


FIG.    12.      THE    CROSS-HEAD. 

shoe  and  guide,  and  when  engine  runs  "over,"  as  on  the  road, 
the  wear  is  nearly  all  on  the  lower  shoe  and  guide.  Usually 
the  wear  being  nearly  the  same  on  both,  they  should  be  set 
out  equally. 

The  Main  Bearings  are  adjusted  by  removing  paper 
liners.  Take  out  only  a  little  at  a  time.  If  one  of  the  bear- 
ings heats  and  does  not  cool  when  the  nuts  are  loosened, 
remove  the  cap  and  clean  out  any  grit  or  dirt  that  may  be 
found.  If  the  babbitt  be  rough  and  torn  up,  it  should  be 
scraped  smooth.  It  is  well  to  "relieve"  the  main  bearings  a 
little  at  their  edges,  as  explained  for  the  connecting-rod 
brasses.  When  the  paper  liners  have  all  been  removed,  and 
the  shaft  has  lost  motion,  the  boxes  will  require  re-babbitt- 


LUBRICATION    AND    ADJUSTMENT    OF    BEARINGS.  45 

ing.  No  one  but  a  good  mechanic,  skilled  in  this  work  should 
undertake  to  babbitt  the  main  bearings.  The  difficulty  lies 
in  the  alignment,  which  must  be  perfect,  before  the  babbitt 
is  poured.  The  babbitt  should  be  of  the  best  quality. 

The  Eccentric  Strap  is  tightened  by  removing  the  paper 
liners.  When  the  halves  come  together,  they  should  be 
taken  to  a  machine  shop  and  a  little  planed  off.  The  eccen- 
tric rod  brasses  and  valve  rod  brasses  on  engines  having 
rocker-arms  are  taken  up  by  driving  down  the  wedges  or 
keys. 


STOP  COCK          CYLINDER  COCK 
LEVER   HANDLE 


RETURN    BEND  PLUG,  BIBB  COCK  AIR   COCK 


STREET   ELBOW       COUPLING  NIPPLE  BUSHING 


UNlbN  ELBOW  TEE  REDUCER 


ANGLE   VALVE  GLOBE  VALVE  STOP  COCK 

FIG.    13.      ENGINE    FITTINGS. 


CHAPtER  V. 


HANDLING  THE  ENGINE. 

EFORE  starting  the  engine  always  see  that 
the  cylinder  cocks  are  open.  Then  if  the 
crank  pin  be  in  the  right  position  (that  is, 
.  past  the  dead  center  in  the  direction  in  which 
the  engine  is  to  run),  op<§n  the  throttle  just 
enough  so  the  crank  pin  will  pass  the  next 
center.  After  a  tew  revolutions,  gradually 
increase  the  throttle  opening  until  the  governor  controls  the 
speed.  If  the  crank  pin  be  not  in  the  right  position  to  start, 
take  the  throttle-lever  in  one  hand  and  the  reverse  lever  in 
the  other.  Admit  a  little  steam  into  the  cylinder,  reverse,  and 
then  before  the  engine  can  pass  that  center  throw  the  reverse 
lever  back,  and  the  engine  will  start.  Occasionally  an  engine 
will  stop  on  the  exact  dead-center,  and  when  this  occurs  it 
is  necessary  to  turn  it  off  by  taking  hold  of  the  fly-wheel. 
If  on  the  road,  releasing  the  friction  clutch  will  generally 
turn  the  engine  off  center  because  the  strain  on  the  gearing 
is  released. 

Never  start  the  engine  suddenly.  Take  sufficient  time 
to  allow  the  water  in  the  cylinder  to  escape  through  the  cylin- 
der-cocks instead  of  forcing  it  through  the  exhaust.  If  the 
engine  be  working  in  the  belt,  a  sudden  start  is  very  liable 

47 


48  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

to  throw  off  the  main  belt ;  if  traveling,  a  sudden  start  throws 
unnecessary  strain  on  the  gearing  and  the  connections  be- 
tween the  engine  and  its  load.  .  When  the  engine  has  been 
running  a  sufficient  time  to  allow  any  water  that  may  be  in 
the  cylinder  to  escape,  cylinder-cocks  may  be  closed.  When 
the  engine  is  at  work  leave  the  throttle  wide  open,  allowing 
the  governor  to  control  the  speed. 

An  engine  provided  with  a  friction  clutch  is  much  easier 
handled  when  traveling  than  one  without,  but  the  clutch  is 
seldom  used  by  a  good  engineer.  If  used  continually  it  re- 
quires attention  to  keep  it  adjusted. 

Steering.  An  engine  cannot  be  properly  guided  unless 
the  steering-chains  are  correctly  adjusted.  If  too  tight  they 
cause  the  steering-wheel  to  turn  hard,  while  if  too  loose, 
the  guiding  is  much  more  difficult  and  the  control  uncertain. 
The  chains  are  properly  adjusted  when  one  turn  of  the  steer- 
ing-wheel takes  up  the  slack.  Double  nuts  are  «used  on  the 
eye  bolts  connecting  the  chains  to  front  axle  and  these  should 
be  jammed  together  so  that  there  is  no  liability  of  their  com- 
ing off.  A  weak  steering-chain  is  dangerous  and  if  one  has 
been  broken  by  running  into  something,  or  from  any  other 
cause,  it  should  not  be  allowed  to  go  indefinitely,  temporarily 
repaired  with  a  bolt  or  piece  of  wire,  but  should  be  fixed  so 
that  it  is  as  strong  as  ever. 

In  guiding  an  engine  many  make  the  mistake  of  turning 
the  steering-wheel  too  much.  It  is  well  to  remember  that 
a  turn  in  one  direction  always  means  a  turn  in  the  opposite 


HANDLING   THE   ENGINE.  49 

direction.  Theoretically,  the  engine  would  follow  a  smooth 
straight  road  without  turning  the  wheel  at  all,  but  in  prac- 
tice it  is  always  necessary  to  turn  it  a  little.  It  is  impor- 
tant to  keep  your  eye  on  the  front  wheels  of  the  engine. 

Setting  the  Engine.  A  little  practice  is  necessary  to 
enable  the  operator  to  quickly  line  and  set  the  engine,  but  this 
is  acquired  by  most  men  in  time.  On  a  calm  day  the  engine 
and  the  separator  should  be  "dead  in  line,"  that  is,  in  such  a 
position  that  a  line  drawn  through  the  edges  of  the  fly-wheel 
rim  would  pass  through  the  edge  of  the  separator  cylinder- 
pulley  rim  on  the  same  side,  and  a  line  drawn  through  the 
edges  of  the  cylinder-pulley  rim  would  pass  through  the 
edge  of  the  fly-wheel  rim  on  the  same  side.  Allowance  for 
the  wind  must  be  made,  a  heavy  side  wind  requiring  a  set- 
ting of  the  engine  sometimes  as  much  as  two  feet  out  of 
line.  When  the  rig  has  been  set  during  a  calm  and  a  wind 
comes  up,  it  is  not  necessary  to  stop,  throw  the  belt  and  re- 
set the  engine  in  order  to  make  the  belt  run  on  the  pulley. 
Take  a  jack-screw  or  lifting- jack,  set  it  obliquely  under  the 
front  axle  of  the  engine  and  move  it  in  the  direction  the 
wind  is  blowing  until  the  belt  runs  properly  on  the  fly-wheel. 
Move  the  front  end  of  the  separator  in  the  same  manner 
until  the  belt  runs  properly  on  the  cylinder  pulley.  If  trouble 
be  experienced  in  getting  the  engine  in  line,  this  method  may 
be  used  to  correct  the  alignment  until  practice  enables  the 
operator  to  set  the  engine  so  that  the  belt  will  run  in  the 
center  of  both  pulleys.  This  "jacking  over"  of  the  front 


5O  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

of  the  engine  or  of  the  separator  should  be  done  while  the 
belt  is  running.  The  friction-clutch  should  always  be  used 
in  tightening  and  in  backing  the  engine  into  the  belt. 

Ascending  Hills.  In  coming  to  a  steep  hill  the  engineer 
should  see  that  he  has  about  the  right  amount  of  water  in 
the  boiler,  that  is,  enough  to  show  two  inches  in  the  glass 
when  the  boiler  is  level.  With  the  boiler  too  full  there  may 
be  danger  of  priming,  which  should  be  especially  avoided  on 
a  hill.  It  is  also  necessary  to  exercise  judgment  in  regard 
to  the  fire.  It  should  be  hot  enough  to  insure  sufficient  steam 
pressure  to  climb  the  hill  without  stopping.  On  the  contrary, 
the  engine  should  not  be  allowed  to  blow  off  when  pulling 
hard  on  a  hill,  as  this  is  liable  to  cause  priming,  necessitating 
stopping.  In  short,  when  approaching  a  steep  hill,  prepare 
for  it  so  that  you  know  you  can  ascend  without  stopping. 
In  ascending  a  hill,  avoid  running  fast,  as  a  moderate  rate 
of  speed  gives  best  results.  If  the  engine  shows  a  tendency 
to  prime,  the  speed  should  be  limited  by  means  of  the  throttle 
so  that  the  engine  may  run  just  fast  enough  to  pass  its  dead- 
centers. 

Descending  Hills.  Important  as  it  is  to  ascend  the  hill 
without  stopping,  it  is  doubly  important  in  descending  to 
reach  level  ground  before  stopping.  Every  man  in  charge 
of  a  boiler  of  the  locomotive  •  type  should  know  the  danger 
of  stopping  with  the  front  end  low.  In  descending  a  very 
steep  hill  leave  the  throttle  partly  open  to  admit  a  little  steam 
and  if  the  engine  runs  too  fast  control  the  speed  with  reverse 
lever. 


HANDLING   THE    ENGINE.  51 

Gravel  Hills.  In  going  up  steep  gravel  hills  there  is 
danger  of  breaking  through  the  surface  crust,  thereby  letting 
the  traction  wheels  into  the  soft  gravel,  which  they  will  push 
out  from  under  them,  simply  digging  holes  instead  of  pro- 
pelling the  engine.  When  this  occurs,  stop  at  once,  before 
the  engine  buries  itself.  Block  the  wheels  of  the  separator, 
or  other  load  behind  the  engine  and  uncouple  and  it  will  move 
out  all  right.  If  it  does  not,  put  cordwood  sticks  in  front 
of  the  traction  wheels  so  that  the  grouters  will  catch.  An- 
other method  is  to  hitch  a  team  and  start  the  team  and 
engine  together. 

Mud  Holes.  The  statements  regarding  gravel  hills  apply 
in  general  to  soft  mud  holes.  Stop  the  engine  when  the 
wheels  slip,  and  put  straw,  brush,  stones,  sticks  or  anything 
else  that  may  be  handy  in  front  of  the  wheels  so  that  the 
grouters  can  take  hold  of  something.  When  the  engine  is 
on  a  "greasy"  road  where  the  wheels  slip  without  digging 
much,  get  a  couple  of  men  to  help  roll  the  front  wheels  and 
you  will  be  surprised  how  much  good  this  does. 

With  one  traction  wheel  in  a  greasy  mud  hole  or  old 
stack  bottom,  and  the  other  on  solid  ground,  the  differential 
gear  may  be  locked,  but  unless  you  understand  the  conse- 
quences of  doing  this,  as  elsewhere  explained  in  this  book, 
it  will  be  better  to  get  out  some  other  way. 

The  Use  of  a  Cable.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  carry  a  steel 
cable  or  heavy  rope  with  the  outfit.  Then  when  the  engine 
stalls,  it  can  be  uncoupled  and  run  onto  solid  ground  where 


J2  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING. 

it  can  pull  its  load  out  of  the  hole  by  the  long  hitch,  and 
then  be  coupled  up  short  again.  A  cable  or  rope  is  elastic 
and  therefore  better  than  a  chain,  which  is  liable  to  snap 
with  the  shock  of  starting  the  load.  Where  a  rope  is  used, 
it  should  have  a  ring  spliced  in  one  end.  The  other  end  may 
be  tied  into  a  shackle  or  clevis  on  the  engine  draw-bar  in  a 
"bow-line"  knot,  which  will  not  slip  and  is  easily  untied 
after  being  strained.  If  a  chain  be  used  the  engine  must  be 
moved  very  slowly,  by  means  of  the  friction  clutch,  until  all 
the  slack  is  out  of  the  chain. 

Special  High  Grouters.  Engines  for  Louisiana,  and 
other  swampy  localities,  are  usually  fitted  with  pressed-steel 
grouters  or  "mud-hooks,"  as  they  are  called,  which  bolt  to 
the  traction  wheels,  in  addition  to  the  regular  grouters. 
These  are  about  five  inches  high  and  consequently  must  be 
taken  off  before  crossing  bridges.  (They  are  furnished  at 
an  additional  price.) 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  ENGINE  PROPER. 

HE  term  "traction  engine"  commonly  includes, 
not  only  what  is,  strictly  speaking,  the  en- 
gine, but  the  boiler  and  traction  parts  as 
well.  In  this  book,  the  term  "engine  proper" 
will  be  used  to  designate  those  parts  which 
are  actually  concerned  in  converting  the 
energy  of  steam  into  rotary  motion.  The 
boiler  changes  water  into  steam  by  adding  to  it,  heat,  taken 
from  the  fuel.  The  engine  proper^  consumes  steam  and 
delivers  motion. 


FIG.    14.      SIDE   ELEVATION    OF   ENGINE    PROPER. 

The   Cylinder.     It   is    in   the   cylinder   that   the   actual 
change  of  heat  into  motion  takes  place.     Here  the  steam 


54  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

is  alternately  admitted  on  opposite  sides  of  a  piston,  which 
is  driven  back 'and  forth,  thereby.  This  reciprocating  mo- 
tion of  the  piston  is  changed  into  the  rotary  motion  of  the 
shaft,  by  the  crank  and  connecting  rod.  The  admission  of 
steam  to  the  cylinder  is  controlled  by  the  "slide-valve," 
which  slides  upon  a  planed  surface,  called  the  "valve-seat," 


FIG.    15.      SECTIONAL   VIEW   OF   SIMPLE    CYLINDER. 

in  a  chamber,  called  the  "steam-chest,"  which  is  adjacent 
to  the  cylinder.  Passages,  called  "ports,"  lead  from  the 
valve  seat  to  the  ends  of  the  cylinder  and  to  the  outside  air, 
called  the  "exhaust."  The  valve  alternately  uncovers  the 
ports  and  allows  the  steam  in  the  chest  to  flow  into  the  ends 
of  the  cylinder.  The  underside  of  the  valve  is  chambered  in 
such  a  manner  that  when  the  piston  is  being  driven  away 


THE    ENGINE    PROPER.  55 

from  one  end  of  the  cylinder,  this  chamber  connects  the  steam 
port  of  the  opposite  end  with  the  exhaust  port,  and  allows  the 
steam  to  flow  through  the  exhaust  pipe  into  the  air.  The 
valve  does  not  admit  steam  to  the  cylinder  during  a  complete 
stroke  of  the  piston,  but  only  during  a  part,  which  is  known 
as  "admission/*  When  the  piston  has  traveled  a  certain 
distance,  the  valve  closes  the  port,  shutting  off  the  steam, 
at  what  is  called  the  point  of  "cut-off."  Since  steam  is 
elastic,  it  continues  to  act,  with  gradually  decreasing  pres- 
sure, upon  the  piston  until  the  end  of  the  stroke  is  reached. 
This  part  of  the  stroke  and  action  of  the  steam  is  known  as 
"expansion."  In  the  same  manner  in  which  the  admission 
of  live  steam  is  stopped  before  the  piston  completes  its  out- 
ward stroke,  the  exhaust  is  closed  shortly  before  the  return 
stroke  is  completed.  The  steam  caught  between  the  piston 
and  the  end  of  the  cylinder  is  compressed  as  the  piston  nears 
the  end,  raising  the  pressure  of  the  steam  and  forming  what 
is  called  the  "cushion."  The  part  of  the  stroke  after  the 
exhaust  has  closed  is  called  "compression."  The  steam  is 
carried  from  the  boiler  to  the  steam  chest  by  means  of  the 
steam  pipe,  in  which  the  throttle  and  governor  are  located. 

The  Piston.  The  piston  is  always  a  little  smaller  than 
the  inside  diameter  of  the  cylinder.  It  is  made  steam  tight, 
however,  by  rings  which  are  fitted  into  grooves  on  its  cir- 
cumference. These  rings  are  originally  made  slightly  larger 
than  the  bore  of  the  cylinder,  and  are  afterward  cut  apart, 
so  that  they  may  be  compressed  sufficiently  to  enter  the 


56  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

cylinder.  This  gives  them  some  tension  so  that  they  fit  the 
inside  of  the  cylinder  closely,  thus  preventing  leakage  of  the 
steam.  The  cylinder  is  bored  slightly  larger  at  the  ends — 
"counter-bored"  as  it  is  called.  This  is  done  to  guard  against 
the  wearing  of  a  shoulder,  at  the  points,  near  each  end  of 
the  cylinder,  at  which  the  outer  edge  of  the  piston  ring 
stops.  The  forming  of  such  a  shoulder  (which  would  cause 
the  engine  to  pound),  is  prevented  by  allowing  part  of  the 
ring  to  pass  into  the  counter-bore.  The  entire  width  of  the 
ring  must  not  be  permitted  to  enter  the  counter-bore,  how- 
ever, or  the  ring  would  expand  and  catch  against  the 
shoulder. 

The  Throttle.  The  throttle  controls  the  flow  of  steani 
from  the  boiler  to  the  steam  chest.  It  should  be  left  open 
after  the  engine  is  started,  and  the  control  of  the  speed 
left  to  the  governor.  The  only  exception  to  this  rule  is 
when  the  engine  is  working  hard,  as  when  traveling  up  a 
hill,  with  its  boiler  showing  a  tendency  to  prime.  In  this 
case,  the  engine  should  be  made  to  run  very  slowly  by 
means  of  the  throttle.  The  skill  with  which  some  operators 
handle  the  throttle  enables  them  to  drive  an  engine  up  a 
hill  which  one  less  skilled  could  not  make  the  engine  climb. 
This  applies  principally  to  localities  in  which  the  water  is  so 
bad  that  it  makes  all  boilers  liable  to  prime.  The  throttle 
should  be  drained  in  cold  weather  to  prevent  damage  by 
frost. 


THE   ENGINE   PROPER. 


57 


The  Governor.     The  "throttling"  governor  regulates  the 
speed  of  the  engine  by  limiting  the  amount  of  steam  admitted 

to  the  cylinder.  It  consists  of  balls 
which  tend  to  fly  apart  when  in 
motion,  which  tendency  is  resisted 
by  springs.  The  cut  shows  how 
the  valve  closes  as  the  balls  move 
apart.  The  valve  connection  to  the 
stem  is  flexible,  but  has  no  play 
endwise,  thus  allowing  the  valve 
to  align  itself  by  its  seat. 
FIG.  16.  GOVERNOR.  Speed.  To  increase  the  speed 

of  the  engine,  loosen  the  check  nut  at  the  top  of  the  governor 
and  turn  the  screw  up.  To  decrease  the  speed,  screw  it  down. 
Be  sure  to  set  the  check  nut  tight  after  altering. 

Packing.  For  packing  the  stuffing  box,  candle  wicking 
is  excellent ;  soaked  in  a  mixture  of  tallow  and  black  lead 
or  graphite,  it  will  work  well  and  last  a  long  time.  Do  not 
screw  the  stuffing  box  down  too  hard  on  the  packing.  It  is 
well  to  allow  a  slight  leakage  to  insure  it's  not  being  too  tight. 
Oiling  the  Governor.  Oil  the  governor  thoroughly  with 
good  oil,  especially  the  shaft  and  barrel.  If  oil  has  been  used 
which  gums  or  causes  the  parts  to  stick,  a  little  benzine  or 
kerosene  poured  into  the  oil  holes,  once  a  week  after  shutting 
down,  will  keep  the  parts  clean  and  in  good  order. 

The  Governor  Belt.     Use  a  thin  flat  belt  and  see  that  the 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


lacing  or  fastening  is  hammered  down  flat,  so  that  no  bunch 
remains  tp  cause  an  uneven  working  of  the  governor. 
The  belt  should  be  sufficiently  taut  to  prevent  slipping, 

but    not    so    taut    as    to 
cause  undue  friction. 

If  the  governor 
"jumps"  or  is  irregular, 
it  is  probably  occasioned 
by  one  of  the  following 
causes  :  first,  because  the 
valve  is  a  little  tight ; 
second,  because  the  valve 
stem  is  bent;  or  third, 
because  the  stuffing-box 


nut     is     screwed     down 
VALVE  too  tightly.     Turning  the 

valve  stem  up  and  down,  while  the  governor  is  running, 
will  show  whether  the  valve  works  freely  in  its  seat.  If  it 
binds  at  all,  take  it  out,  and  rub  it  with  fine  emery  cloth, 
but  never  attempt  to  file  it.  In  taking  the  governor  apart, 
the  top  must  be  lifted  off  as  "true"  as  possible,  so  as  not  to 
bend  the  valve  stem.  If  the  valve  stem  becomes  bent  where 
it  passes  through  the  stuffing-box,  it  will  be  best  to  procure 
a  new  stem. 

Rated  Horse-Power.  Stationary  engines  are  rated  at 
about  their  actual  horse-power,  as  determined  by  brake  test. 
Farm  and  traction  engines,  on  the  other  hand,  are  rated  very 


SECTION    OF    GOVERNOR 


THE    ENGINE   PROPER.  59 

much  below  their  actual  or  brake  horse-power,  which  is  a 
condition  of  affairs  to  be  regretted.  However,  it  would  be 
a  difficult  matter  to  change  this  at  the  present  time  and  to. 
educate  the  users  of  these  engines  to  comprehend  the  true 
size  of  the  unit  "horse-power,"  since  the  practice  of  under- 
rating has  existed  since  engines  for  driving  threshing  ma- 
chines were  first  built,  and  it  has  grown  up  with  the  business. 
If  we  look  into  history  and  causes,  we  find  that  the  early 
method  of  driving  threshing  machines  was  by  horse-power, 
and  when  engines  were  first  used  for  threshing,  a  ten  horse- 
power engine  was  supposed  to  supply  about  the  same  amount 
of  power  as  a  lever-power  driven  by  ten  horses.  From  the 
time  of  those  early  engines,  to  the  present,  the  competition 
of  different  manufacturers,  all  endeavoring  to  furnish  the 
most  powerful  engine  of  a  given  rating,  and  the  raising  of 
the  steam  pressure  from  60  to  130  or  even  160  pounds, 
(which  was  done  without  reducing  the  size  of  the  cylinder 
of  a  given  rating),  has  caused  engines  of  this  class  to  be 
more  and  more  under-rated.  Most  threshing  engines,  now 
built  in  the  United  States,  will  easily  develop  from  two  to 
three  times  their  rated  horse-power,  and  the  relation  which 
.the  rated  horse-power  bears  to  the  actual  size  of  the  engine 
varies  so  greatly,  that,  in  reality,  the  "rated  horse-power" 
gives  only  a  very  indefinite  idea  of  the  actual  size  of  an 
engine.  /  There  are  reasons  why  it  is  preferable  to  indicate 
the  size  of  an  engine  by  size  of  its  cylinder,  instead  of  by 
its  rated  horse-power ;  for  example  to  say,  a  "Nine  by  Ten/' 


60  SCIENCE  OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

rather  than  a  "Fifteen  Horse"  engine.  However,  besides 
the  cylinder  size,  the  steam  pressure  carried  and  the  speed 
are  also  important  factors  in  determining  the  amount  of 
horse-power  .an  engine  will  develop.  English  engines  are 
more  under-rated  than  those  built  in  the  United  States,  but 
in  comparing  the  engines  of  these  countries,  the  difference  in 
steam  pressure  arid  speed  must  be  taken  into  consideration, 
as  well  as  the  difference  in  the  size  of  cylinders.  The  meth- 
ods of  obtaining  the  exact  horse-power  of  an  engine  with 
the  indicator  or  the  Prony  brake  are  becoming  better  known, 
but  it  is  probable,  however,  that  engines  will  not  be  cor- 
rectly rated  for  some  time  to  come. 

Engine  Horse-Power.  The  unit  of  power  is  a  "horse- 
power" which  is  defined  as  the  amount  of  power  necessary 
to  raise  thirty-three  thousand  pounds  one  foot  in  one  minute. 
The  horse-power  of  an  engine  is  equal  to  the  average,  total, 
effective  pressure  on  the  piston  multiplied  by  the  number  of 
feet  it  travels  per  minute,  and  divided  by  thirty-three  thou- 
sand. The  total  effective  pressure  on  the  piston  is  equal  to 
its  area  in  square  inches,  multiplied  by  the  effective  pressure 
per  square  inch,  which  is  not  constant,  but  varies,  being 
nearest  boiler  pressure  during  the  early  part  of  the  stroke 
and  decreasing  after  the  point  of  cut-off  is  passed,  as  the 
steam  expands,  until  the  end  of  the  stroke  is  reached.  The 
effective  pressure  is  the  pressure  remaining  after  subtracting 
the  back  pressure  of  the  exhaust. 

Indicated  Horse-Power.  The  pressure  at  the  different 
parts  of  the  stroke  can  be  measured  only  by  means  of  the 


THE    ENGINE    PROPER.  6l 

steam-engine  indicator.  This  instrument  has  a  small  piston, 
connected  to  a  pencil  point  in  such  a  way  that  movement  of 
the  piston  is  registered  on  a  card.  Since  the  movement  of 
the  piston  is  resisted  by  a  calibrated  spring,  its  position  de- 
pends upon  the  amount  of  pressure  it  is  subjected  to,  and 
therefore,  the  amount  of  pressure  at  all  points  may  be 
known  from  the  diagram  made  by  the  pencil  point.  Know 
ing  the  pressures  at  the  various  points  of  the  stroke,  it  is 
easy  to  multiply  the  average  by  the  travel  of  the  piston  in 
feet  per  minute  and  thus  determine  the  horse-power.  The 
result  so  obtained  is  called  the  "indicated"  horse-power. 
The  indicator  measures  the  power  developed  in  the  cylinder 
and,  of  course,  it  takes  a  part  of  this  to  run  the  engine  itself. 
The  amount  so  consumed  is,  roughly,  ten  per  cent,  of  the 
whole. 

Brake  Horse-Power.  The  net  horse-power  delivered  at 
the  fly-wheel  may  be  actually  measured  by  means  of  a  device 
known  as  the  "Prony  brake."  This  consists  of  a  brake  band 
for  applying  friction  to  the  rim  of  a  pulley.  The  brake  band 
is  prevented  from  turning  by  an  arm  which  rests  on  a  weigh- 
ing scale.  From  the  scale  reading,  the  speed  of  the  pulley 
and  the  length  of  the  brake  arm,  the  horse-power  can  be 
figured,  and  the  result  so  obtained  is  called  the  "brake" 
horse-power.  It  is  evident  that  the  difference  between  the 
indicated  and  brake  horse-power  is  the  power  required  to  run 
the  engine. 

Calculating  the  Horse-Power.  Although,  as  already 
stated,  the  mean  effective  pressure  can  be  measured  only  by 


62  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

the  indicator,  we  can,  for  calculation,  assume  a  value  which 
approximates  the  correct  one.  This  we  will  take  to  be 
fifty  per  cent,  of  the  boiler  pressure.  Then,  with  a  boiler 
pressure  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds,  our  average 
effective  pressure  (or  "mean  effective  pressure/'  as  it  is 
called)  per  square  inch  will  be  fifty  per  cent  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds,  or  sixty-five  pounds.  This,  multiplied  by 
the  area  of  the  piston,  will  give  the  total  mean  effective 
pressure  on  the  piston  in  pounds.  The  area  of  a  circle  is 
equal  to  its  diameter  multiplied  by  itself  and  the  product  by 
.7854.  The  travel  of  the  piston  is  equal  to  twice  the  stroke 
(there  being  two  strokes  to  each  revolution),  multiplied  by 
the  number  of  revolutions  per  minute.  As  the  length  of 
the  stroke  is  usually  given  in  inches,  this  product  must  be 
divided  by  twelve  to  reduce  the  result  to  feet  per  minute. 

The  following  example  is  of  an  engine  with  a  Nine  by 
Ten  cylinder,  a  speed  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  revolutions 
per  minute  and  a  boiler  pressure  of  one-hundred  and  thirty 
pounds — the  size  of  the  Case  engine,  rated  at  Fifteen  horse- 
power. 

250    revolutions  per  minute. 
20    travel  of  piston  in  inches  per  revolution. 


12)5,000    travel  of  piston  in  inches  per  minute. 

416.6  travel  of  piston  in  feet  per  minute. 

.7854 

8i=(9X9),  square  of  diameter  of  piston. 

7854 
62832 


63,6174  area  of  piston  in  square  inches. 


THE    ENGINE    PROPER.  63 

63.6174  area  of  piston  in  square  inches, 

65=(5o%    of    130),     the    "mean  effective"     pressure 

(pounds  per  square  inch.) 
3180870 
3817044 

4135.1310  total  average  pressure  on  piston  in  pounds. 
416.6  travel  of  piston  in  feet  per  minute. 

24810786 
24810786 

4I35I3I 
16540524 


33,000)1722695.5746(52.20  (The  "calculated"  horse-power  correspoiid- 
165000  ing  to  the  "indicated"  horsepower^ 


72695 
66000 

66955 
66000 

95574 

Deducting  ten  per  cent,  for  the  friction  of  the  working 
parts  of  the  engine,  we  have  forty-seven  horse-power  as  the 
result.  This  remainder  is  a  little  more  than  three  times  the 
rated  horse-power  and  represents  the  power  actually  deliv- 
ered at  the  engine  fly-wheel,  and  corresponds  to  the  "brake" 
horse-power. 

Compound  Engines.  A  compound  engine  is  one  in  which 
the  steam  is  expanded  in  two  or  more  cylinders.  Threshing 
engines,  when  compounded,  are  "two-cylinder"  compounds, 
but  large  stationary  and  marine  engines  are  often  "triple" 
and  sometimes  "quadruple"  expansion.  There  are  different 
types  of  two-cylinder  compounds,  viz. :  the  "cross,"  where 


64 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


the  cylinders  are  abreast  and  each  piston  connected  to  a 
separate  crank;  the  "trunk,"  in  which  two  pistons  of  the 
same  size  are  connected  by  an  enlarged  rocT  or  trunk,  the 
high-pressure  cylinder  being  in  the  form  of  an  annular  ring 
between  the  pistons,  and  the  low-pressure  at  the  ends  of  the 
long  cylinder  which  is  the  same  bore  throughout;  and  the 
"tandem,"  having  one  cylinder  behind  the  other,  with  both 
pistons  on  the  same  rod.  The  latter  has  proved  to  be  the 
type  best  adapted  for  use  on  farm  and  traction  engines. 

The  Woolf  Compound.  The  illustration  below 
shows  a  sectional  view  of  the  "Woolf '-tandem-compound 
cylinder  now  used  on  "Case"  compounded  engines.  Its  oper- 
ation is  as  follows :  The  steam  from  the  boiler  enters  the 
valve,  (which  is  hollow),  through  the  large  opening  at  the 


FIG.   l8.      SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  "WOOLF"  COMPOUNDED  CYLINDER. 

crank  end,  passes  through  the  valve  and  out  at  the  narrow 
opening  near  the  head  end,  which,  as  the  valve  moves,  alter- 


THE    ENGINE    PROPER. 


nately  comes  opposite  the  two  ports  leading  to  the  ends 
of  the  small  or  high  pressure  cylinder.  The  valve  in  mov- 
ing also  alternately  uncovers  these  ports,  allowing  the  high- 
pressure  cylinder  to  exhaust  into  the  steam  chest.  The  low- 
pressure  cylin- 
der receives  the 
steam  from  the 
steam  chest, 
and  exhausts, 
(through  the 
heater),  into 
the  stack,  i  n 


FIG.     19.       FACE    OF    VALVE. 


exactly  the  same  manner  as  a  simple  engine.  The  valve  is 
"balanced"  because  high-pressure  steam  is  under  and  tending 
to  lift  it,  while  the  low-pressure  steam  is  on  top,  and  pressing 

it  against  its  seat.  When 
the  engine  is  running  with 
a  light  load,  the  pressure 
is  sometimes  insufficient 
to  hold  the  valve  against 
its  seat,  in  which  case  a 
loud  clattering  noise  is 
made  by  the  valve  as  it 
raises  from  and  returns  to 
FIG.  20.  its  seat.  To  prevent  this, 

SHOWING  PIPE  TO  STEAM  PLUGS,    two  steam  plugs  are  placed 


66 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


in  the  chambered  steam-chest  cover,  so  that,  when  the  valve 
in  the  small  steam  pipe  connecting  this  chamber  with  the 
main  steam-pipe  is  open,  the  live  steam  pressure  against 
the  plugs  holds  the  valve  against  its  seat. 

To  Take  Apart  the  Compound  Cylinder.  To  take  out  the 
pistons  for  renewing  the  piston-rings  or  for  other  pur- 
poses, first  unbolt  and  remove  the  high-pressure  cylinder. 
Then  loosen  the  jam-nut  and  unscrew  the  rod  from  the 
cross-head  by  turning  the  pistons.  The  rod  with  the  two 
pistons  and  the  center-head  may  now  be  pulled  ©ut.  In 
replacing  the  cylinder,  loosen  the  three,  (or  four),  set-screws, 
which  hold  the  center-head  in  position,  and  after  the  high- 
pressure  cylinder  is  bolted  in  place,  tighten  them  up  in  order 
to  hold  the  center-head  in  position  and  pr.event  leakage.  If 
the  asbestos  gasket  has  been  injured  it  will  be  necessary  to 
put  in  a  new  one. 

Center-Head  Packing.  Leakage  around  the  rod,  between 
the  two  cylinders,  is  prevented  by  metallic  packing,  which 
will,  with  sufficient  lubrication,  remain  tight  during  the  life 

of  the  engine.  The 
accompanying  cuts 
show  a  side  and  a 
sectional  view  of 
the  metallic  pis- 
ton-rod packing 
which  is  located 
FIG.  21.  THE  CENTER-HEAD  PACKING,  in  the  center-head 


THE    ENGINE    PROPER,  67 

between  the  high-  and  low-pressure  cylinders.  In  the  side 
view,  the  rings  G  and  B  are  removed.  The  center-head  is 
represented  by  A.  The  iron-packing  rings  D  and  E  are  each 
in  three  parts  or  segments  and  are  held  in  their  proper  places 
by  the  spring  C.  These  segments  of  rings  are  so  placed  that 
they  "break  joints,"  as  can  readily  be  seen  from  the  side  ele- 
vation. They  are  held  in  position,  relative  to  each  other,  by 
the  dowel  pin,  H.  These  packing  rings  are  held  in  place  by 
the  ring  B,  and  also  by  the  ring  G,  which  is  fastened  to  the 
head  with  three  cap-screws,  F.  The  head  is  held  in  its  posi- 
tion between  the  cylinders  by  set-screws,  as  can  readily  be 
seen  from  cut  on  page  64. 

To  Test  the  Center-Head  Packing,  set  the  reverse  lever 
fcr,  say,  the  threshing  motion  and  turn  the  engine  in  the 
direction  in  which  it  would  run,  just  past  the  crank-end 
dead-center.  Block  the  cross-head  so  that  the  crank-shaft 
cannot  revolve,  disconnect  the  cylinder-cock  rod,  and  open 
the  throttle.  This  will  admit  steam  on  the  crank-end  of  the 
high  pressure  cylinder,  and  if  the  cylinder-cock  on  the  head- 
end of  the  low-pressure  cylinder  blows  steam  when  opened, 
it  can  come  only  from  leakage  of  the  metallic  packing  in  the 
center-head. 


68 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


o 
o 


01 

o 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE    VALVE-GEAR. 

.HE  mechanism  that  operates  the  valve  of  an 
engine  is  known  as  the  "valve-gear."  On 
stationary  or  portable  engines,  which  are 
only  required  to  run  in  one  direction,  the 
valve  gear  consists  simply  of  an  eccentric  on 
the  crank  shaft,  (to  which  the  valve  stem  is 
connected  by  means  of  the  eccentric-rod), 
and  a  guide  to  keep  the  valve-stem  in  alignment.  As  trac- 
tion engines  must  be  run  in  both  directions,  a  reversing  valve 
gear  is  required,  which  necessarily  renders  the  valve  gear 
more  complicated.  There  have  been  numerous  mechanisms 
invented  for  this  purpose,  but  most  traction  engines  are 
equipped  with  either  the  "link"  or  the  Woolf  reverse,  as 
.these  are  almost  the  only  ones  that  have  withstood  the  test 
of  time. 

It  is  apparent,  that,  in  order  to  use  steam  econom- 
ically, it  must  be  allowed  to  pass  in  and  out  of  the  cylinder 
at  precisely  the  right  moments,  and  during  certain  intervals. 
Consequently,  the  economy  of  a  steam  engine  depends  almost 
entirely  upon  the  valve-gear,  which  should,  therefore,  be  kept 
in  good  repair.  The  ease  with  which  the  valve  is  moved, 
depends  largely  upon  its  lubrication.  If  the  valve  be  allowed 


7°  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING 

to  run  dry,  the  valve  gear  is  subjected  to  an  immense  amount 
of  unnecessary  work,  which  soon  wears  it,  so  that  the  valve 
does  not  move  as  it  should,,  and  the  engine  becomes  wasteful 
in  its  use  of  steam.  The  valve  should  be  well  lubricated  at 
all  times,  the  wearing  parts  of  the  valve-gear  should  be 
oiled  frequently  and  every  precaution  taken  to  keep  the  valve- 
gear  in  first  class  condition.  The  wear  should  be  taken  up 
as  fast  as  it  appears  so  that  the  parts  are  not  allowed  to 
pound. 

The  Woolf  Valve-Gear.  The  Woolf  valve-gear  possesses 
advantages  over  the  other  devices  used  for  reversing  trac- 
tion engines,  which  entitle  it  to  rank  as  the  most  popular  and 
satisfactory  means  for  this  purpose  known  at  the  present 
time.  It  is  very  simple,  consisting  of  a  single  eccentric,  the 
''strap''  of  which  is  extended  to  form  an  arm;  to  the  end 
of  this  arm  is  pivoted  a  block,  which  slides  in  a  guide  con- 
nected to  the  hand  lever  and  pivoted  in  such  a  way  that  the 
angle  of  the  block's  path  depends  upon  the  position  of  the 
hand  lever;  the  eccentric  rod  transmits  the  motion  from  the 
eccentric  arm,  (to  which  it  is  connected),  to  the  valve  stem 
through  a  rocker  arm  or  guided  "slide."  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  angle  of  the  "block  guide"  determines  the  amount 
of  travel  of  the  valve.  By  placing  the  reverse  lever  at  or 
near  the  center  of  the  quadrant,  the  reverse  gear  acts  as  an 
efficient  brake  in  controlling  the  engine  when  descending 
hills,  or  at  any  time  when  it  is  desirable  to  suddenly  check 
the  speed  of  the  engine.  This  reverse  allows  of  "hooking 


THE   VALVE-GEAR.  71 

up,"  that  is,  placing  the  lever  in  notches  between  the  end 
and  center  of  the  quadrant,  In  these  positions,  the  valve 
travel  is  reduced  and  the  points  of  "cut-off"  made  earlier, 
which,  of  course,  lessens  the  amount  of  steam  required.  It 
is,  therefore,  economy  to  run  the  engine  "hooked  up"  when- 
ever its  load  will  allow.  Provision  is  made  for  taking  up 
lost  motion  in  the  parts  subjected  to  wear.  All  the  joints 
should  be  kept  well  oiled,  but  the  only  parts  which  require 
frequent  attention  in  this  respect,  are  the  eccentric  and  the 
sliding  block.  When  the  valve  is  sufficiently  lubricated,  and 
the  valve-gear  is  properly  oiled  and  adjusted,  the  reverse 
lever  is  easily  handled,  when  under  a  full  head  of  steam. 

Caution  Against  Disturbing  the  Valve  Setting.  It  so 
often  happens  that  an  expert,  when  called  to  an  engine,  finds 
that  the  valve  has  been  re-set  after  the  engine  left  the  factory, 
that  it  seems  best,  at  this  point,  to  say  a  few  words  of  cau- 
tion against  disturbing  the  valve  of  a  new  engine.  Let  us 
advise  you  not  to  jump  to  the  conclusion  that  your  valve  is 
incorrectly  constructed  or  improperly  set.  Remember  that 
the  engine  has  been  designed  and  built  by  experienced  men, 
thoroughly  competent  to  make  it  all  that  it  should  be.  Re- 
member, too,  that  the  engine  has  been  tested  at  the  factory, 
in  the  belt  and  on  the  .road  with  heavy  loads,  within  sight 
and  hearing  of  a  dozen  men,  whose  long  experience  has 
made  them  so  critical  that  they  could  not  fail  to  detect  any- 
thing wrong  in  the  engine's  performance.  Let  us  add  that 
in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  where  an  expert  is  called  to  re-set 


72  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

a  valve,  he  finds  that  it  has  been  disturbed  since  it  left  the 
testing  room.  Do  not,  then,  conclude  that  your  valve  is 
"off,"  until  you  have  carefully  investigated  whatever  trouble 
there  may  be. 

There  are  men  in  nearly  every  locality  throughout 
the  country,  who  are  confident  that  they  themselves 
know  more  about  setting  valves  than  do  the  manufac- 
turers. These  men  affirm  that  whatever  trouble  they  may 
have  is  due  to  the  working  of  the  valve,  and,  when  no  im- 
provement is  shown  after  they  have  re-set  it,  they  say  that 
the  valve-gear  was  not  properly  constructed  and  designed 
originally.  If  they  had  carefully  investigated  the  trouble 
before  disturbing  the  valve,  they  would  have  discovered  the 
real  cause,  due  probably  to  either  insufficient  cylinder  and 
valve  lubrication,  or  to  a  priming  tendency  of  the  boiler. 
The  causes  of,  and  the  remedies  for  these  difficulties  are  dis- 
cussed elsewhere  in  this  book. 

Finding  the  "Dead  Centers."  An  engine  is  on  its  "dead- 
center"  when  a  line  drawn  through  the  center  of  the  piston- 
rod  will  pass  through  the  center  of  the  crank-pin.  There 
are  two,  the  "crank"  dead-center,  when  the  piston  is  at  the 
end  of  the  cylinder  nearest  the  crank-shaft,  and  the  "head" 
dead-center,  when  the  piston  is  at  the  opposite  end.  An 
engine  is  said  to  be  running  "over"  when  the  top  of  rim 
of  fly-wheel  runs  away  from  the  cylinder  and  running 
"under"  when  the  top  of  rim  of  fly-wheel  runs  towards  the 
cylinder.  "Case"  engines  are  marked  for  finding  the  dead- 


THE   VALVE-GEAR. 


73 


centers  at  the  factory,  and  by  applying  one  of  the  company's 
trams,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  22,  they  may  be  readily  placed 
on  either  dead-center.  It  may  be  necessary  to  scrape 

off  the  paint  to  find  the 
prick-punch  marks  on  the 
frame  and  on  the  crank-disc. 
The  tram  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration measures  eight  and 
three-sixteenths  inches  be- 
tween the  points,  which  size 
FIG.  23.  TRAM  ON  DISC.  has  been  used  by  the  "Case" 
company  for  many  years.  It  will  be  seen  that  a  "Case"  en- 
gine may  be  put  on  its  dead  centers  by  using  a  pair  of  divid- 
ers set  to  this  distance,  but  they  do  not  serve  the  purpose  as 
well  as  the  tram.  The  following  method  of  finding  the  dead 
centers  is  the  one  used  at  the  factory,  and  is  generally  used 
on  all  styles  of  engines.  To  put  it  into  use,  first  take  up  all 
lost  motion  in  the  connecting-rod  brasses,  crank-shaft  bear- 
ing and  cross-head  shoes.  Then  turn  the  engine  until  the 
piston  lacks  an  inch  or  so  of  completing  its  stroke.  Make 
a  prick-punch  mark  at  any  convenient  place  on  the  cross- 
head  (see  Fig.  24),  insert  one  point  of  the  tram  in  the  mark 
and  with  the  other  point,  make  a  scratch  on  the  engine  frame 
to  locate  a  second  prick-punch  mark.  The  tram  points 
should  now  measure  the  exact  distance  between  the  two 
marks  and  when  applied  should  be  nearly  paral1el  to  the 


74  SCIENCE    OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

piston-rod,  as  shown  in  Fig.  23.  In  the  same  manner,  a 
mark  should  be  made  at  any  convenient  place  on  the  frame 
near  the  crank-disc,  a  scratch  made  on  the  disc,  (which 
should  come  across  the  face  of  the  disc),  and  a  light  prick- 
punch  mark  made  on  the  disc,  so  that  the  tram  measures 
the  exact  distance  between  the  marks,  as  shown  in  Fig.  22. 

Next,  turn  the  engine  until  the 
cross-head  comes  back  to  the 
same  place,  but  with  the  crank- 
pin  on  the  other  side  of  the 

dead-center,  holding  the  tram 
FIG.  24. 

TRAM  ON  CROSS-HEAD.  with    one    point    in    the    mark 

on  the  frame,  near  the  guides,  and  the  other  so  that  it  will 
drop  into  the  cross-head  prick-punch  mark  when  it  comes  to 
the  right  place.  Next,  place  one  leg  of  the  tram  in  the  other 
mark  on  the  frame  and  make  a  scratch  on  the  disc  as  before, 
to  locate  the  second  mark  on  the  rim  of  the  crank-disc. 
When  this  is  done,  find  the  mid-point  between  the  two  marks 
(which  are  temporary),  on  the  disc,  with  a  pair  of  dividers, 
mark  it  clearly,  and  then  destroy  the  two  original  marks. 
The  other  dead-center  is  found  in  the  same  manner.  Now 
when  the  crank-disc  is  turned  around  until  the  tram  point 
drops  into  one  of  the  marks  on  it,  the  engine  will  be 
on  either  of  its  dead-centers.  With  engines,  on  which  the 
crank-disc  is  not  easily  reached,  the  prick-punch  marks  for 
the  tram  are  usually  located  on  the  fly-wheel  rim.  They  were 
so  placed  on  "Case"  center-crank  engines. 


THE    VALVE-GEAR.  75 

In  placing  the  engine  on  its  dead-centers,  in  examining 
the  valve  setting,  or  in  setting  the  valve,  it  should  always  be 
turned  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  reverse  lever,  that  is, 
if  the  reverse  lever  is  in  the  forward  end  of  the  quadrant, 
the  engine  should  be  turned  "under,"  or  in  the  direction  in 
which  it  runs  when  threshing.  If  turned  past  the  mark,  it 
should  be  turned  the  opposite  way  and  again  brought  to  the 
mark,  moving  in  the  right  direction.  This  eliminates  any 
error  due  to  lost  motion., 

To  Determine  if  the  Valve  Setting  has  been  Disturbed. 
New  engines  have  their  valves  set  at  the  factory  before  being 
painted,  so  that  broken  paint  often  reveals  the  fact  that  some- 
one has  re-set  the  valve.  Besides  this  indication,  "Case" 
engines  are  provided  with  marks,  by  means  of  which,  one 
can  determine  whether  or  not  the  valve  setting  has  been  dis- 
turbed since  the  engine  left  the  factory  and,  if  it  has  been 
disturbed,  furnish  the  means  to  bring  it  back  to  the  original 
setting  without  removing  the  steam  chest  cover.  The  eccen- 
tric hub  and  the  shaft  are  marked,  as  with  a  sharp  cold 
chisel,  so  that  the  marks  meet  when  the  eccentric  is  in  its 
proper  position.  When  one  suspects  that  the  eccentric  has 
slipped  from  its  original  position,  an  examination  of  these 
marks  will  show  whether  it  has  or  has  not.  If  it  has  slipped, 
the  trouble  may  be  corrected  by  loosening  the  set-screws  and 
rotating  it  around  the  shaft  until  the  marks  correspond. 
An  eccentric  is  liable  to  slip  when  it  becomes  hot  from  run- 
ning without  oil  and  this  tendency  in  such  cases  is  sometimes 


.76 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


strong  enough  to  shear  off  the' points  of  the  set  screws  which 
secure  the  eccentric. 

Besides  the  marks  on  the  eccentric,  there  are  marks  on  the 
valve-stem  and  its  stuffing-box,  in  order  to  make  apparent 
any  change  in  the  length  of  the  valve-rod  or  the  eccentric- 
rod.  To  use  these  marks,  however,  one  should  have  one  of 
the  Company's  valve-rod  trams.  This  is  shorter  than  the  one 
used  on  the  crank-disc  and  measures  exactly  four  and  three- 
sixteenths  inches  between  points.  It  is  used  as  shown  in 
Fig.  24.  There  are  two  marks  on  the  valve-stem  and  they 

should  be  on  top.  When  the 
reverse  lever  is  at  the  rear  end 
}  of  the  quadrant,  (i.  e.,  the  road 
motion),  and  the  engine  is 
placed  on  one  of  its  dead  cen- 
ters, the  valve-rod  tram  should 
drop  into  one  of  the  marks,  and 

FIG.  25.     TRAM  ON  VALVE-STEM. 

when  the  engine  is  placed  on 

its  other  dead-center,  the  tram  should  drop  into  the  other 
mark.  If  the  tram  points  do  not  drop  into  the  marks,  the 
eccentric  rod  should  be  adjusted  as  to  length  until  they  do 
or  else  the  valve  must  be  entirely  re-set  as  explained  below. 

Setting  the  Valve  on  Engines  with  Woolf  Reverse.  After 
having  taken  up  all  the  lost  motion  on  the  valve-gear,  main- 
bearings,  crank-pin  and  cross-head  pin  and  shoes,  and  being 
provided  with  the  tram  for  placing  the  engine  on  its  dead- 
centers,  as  explained,  proceed  to  set  the  valve  as  follows ; 


THE    VALVE-GEAR.  77 

First.  See  that  the  "reach-rod"  from  the  "reverse-lever" 
to  the  "block-guide"  is  of  such  length  that  the  valve  moves 
the  same  distance  during  a  revolution  of  the  fly-wheel  in 
one  direction  as  for  a  revolution  in  the  opposite,  direction, 
with  the  reverse-lever  in  the  end  notch  of  the  quadrant  in 
both  cases.  The  entire  distance  the  valve  moves,  which  is 
called  the  "valve  travel,"  may  be  conveniently  measured  on 
the  valve  stem  by  the  tram,  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  24.  To  do 
this  hold  one  of  the  tram  points  in  the  punch-mark  on  the 
stuffing-box  and,  with  the  other,  make  scratches  across  the 
rod  as  the  fly-wheel  is  slowly  revolved.  If  the  "valve  travel" 
be  more  for  one  motion  than  for  the  other,  it  shows  that 
the  reach-rod  is  either  too  long  or  too  short  to  give  the 
proper  angularity  to  the  block-guide,  which  angularity  deter- 
mines the  travel  of  the  valve.  This  rod  can  be  easily  ad- 
justed to  the  correct  length  by  taking  the  pin  out  of  the 
lever  and  turning  the  forked  head  of  the  rod  until  the 
required  length  is  obtained.  The  jam-nut  should  then  be 
tightened  to  prevent  lost  motion. 

Second.  See  that  the  eccentric  is  in  the  proper  position, 
which  is,  with  it's  point  of  greatest  throw  nearly  opposite 
the  engine  crank-pin.  The  movement  of  the  valve  in  throw- 
ing the  lever  from  one  end  notch  to  the  other  end  notch  of  the 
quadrant,  with  the  engine  on  its  dead-center,  is  called  the 
"slip."  When  the  eccentric  is  properly  located,  the  slip  will 
be  the  same  for  "head"  dead-center  as  for  "crank"  dead- 
center.  The  "slip"  must  not  only  be  alike  in  amount,  but 


78  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

must  also  be  in  the  same  direction  as  that  in  which  the  lever  is 
moved,  in  both  cases.  If  the  "slip"  be  with  the  lever  for  one 
dead-center,  and  against  it  for  the  other,  the  eccentric  is  not 
in  the  correct  position,  and  should  be  rotated  slightly  on  the 
shaft,  until  the  "slip"  is  in  the  same  direction  as  that  in 
which  the  lever  is  moved,  for  both  dead-centers.  If  it  be 
impossible  to  get  this,  the  pedestal  is  not  the  right  height, 
•  as  explained  in  the  following  paragraph.  In  setting  the 
eccentric,  one  set-screw  will  hold  it  in  place  temporarily. 

Third.  See  that  the  pedestal  is  the  correct  height.  The 
amount  of  "slip"  indicates  this,  and  if  it  be  one-sixteenth 
for  both  dead-centers,  and  in  the  same  direction  as  that  in 
which  the  lever  is  moved,  the  pedestal  is  the  proper  height. 
If  the  pedestal  be  too  high,  the  "slip"  of  the  valve  will  be 
more  than  one-sixteenth,  and  if  too  low,  it  will  be  less,  or  if 
very  low,  the  valve  stem  will  move  in  the  opposite  direction 
to  that  in  which  the  reverse  lever  is  moved.  The  pedestal 
may  be  raised,  by  placing  "shims"  of  sheet-iron  between  it 
and  the  frame  at  the  place  where  it  is  bolted,  and  lowered, 
by  removing  the  shims.  If  there  be  none,  the  pedestal  must 
be  taken  to  a  machine-shop  and  planed  off  in  order  to 
lower  it. 

Fourth.  When  you  know  that  the  reach-rod  is  the 
correct  length;  that  the  eccentric  is  in  the  proper  position, 
and  that  the  pedestal  is  the  correct  height,  give  the  valve 
three-thirty-seconds  of  an  inch  "lead"  on  the  crank-end  for 

4 

the  threshing-motion.     The  "slip"  of  the  valve,  in  throwing 


THE   VALVE-GEAR.  79 

the  lever  over  to  the  road  motion,  will  reduce  this  lead  by 
one-sixteenth,  so  that  the  leads  will  be  nearly  alike  for  the 
road-motion.  The  "lead"  should  be  obtained  by  adjusting 
the  length  of  the  eccentric-rod,  allowing  the  nuts  on  the 
valve-stem  to  remain  undisturbed.  If  the  nuts  on  valve- 
stem  be  loosened,  the  "draw-block"  is  liable  to  be  tilted  so 
that  the  valve  cannot  leave  its  seat  when  necessary  to  let 
water  out  of  cylinder. 

It  is  best,  after  setting  the^  valve,  to  go  all  over  it  again 
from  the  beginning,  and  if  all  be  found  correct,  the  eccentric 
may  be  set  permanently  by  tightening  both  set-screws.  These 
are  counter-sunk  into  the  shaft,  and  if  necessary,  the  depres- 
sions may  be  changed  by  sliding  the  eccentric-hub  to  one 
side,  (after  having  removed  the  eccentric-strap),  and  chip- 
ping them  out  with  a  round-nose  chisel  so  that  the  deepest 
part  is  in  the  required  position  for  the  set-screw.  The  eccen- 
tric-hub and  shaft  should  be  marked,  (as  is  done  at  the  fac- 
tory), with  a  cold-chisel,  so  that  should  the  eccentric  slip, 
the  slippage  can  be  discovered  and  the  eccentric  readily 
re-set. 

In  any  style  of  valve-gear  the  "lead"  is  changed  by  rotat- 
ing the  eccentric  around  the  shaft.  It  will  be  seen  that  the 
Woolf  reverse,  having  but  one  eccentric  cannot  be  adjusted 
to  change  the  lead,  because  if  the  lead  be  increased  for  engine 
running  "over,"  it  will  be  decreased  for  engine  running 
"under,"  and  vice  versa.  There  is  therefore  but  one  position 
for  the  eccentric.  This  is  determined  at  the  factory,  and  on 


8O  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

"Case''  engines  built  since  1898  the  main  shaft  is  counter- 
sunk for  the  set  screws. 

Even  Cut-offs.  The  above  is  the  method  used  in  setting 
the  valve  on  nine,  twelve,  fifteen,  twenty  and  twenty-five 
horse-power  "Case"  traction  engines  at  the  factory,  and  brake 
and  indicator  tests  show  that  these  engines,  with  their  valves 
so  set,  easily  develop  three  times  their  rated  horse-power,  and 
are  very  economical.  It  will  be  seen  that  this  method  of  set- 
ting the  valve  gives  unequal  "leads"  for  the  threshing-motion, 
there  being  three-thirty-seconds  of  an  inch  on  the  crank-end 
and  no  lead  on  the  head-end.  The  points  of  cut-off,  however, 
will  be  "even,"  that  is,  alike  on  both  ends,  for  both  road  and 
threshing-motions.  Were  it  desirable  to  set  the  valve  with 
equal  "leads,"  it  could  be  done  by  making  the  pedestal  of 
such  a  height  that  there  would  be  no  "slip."  In  this  case, 
the  points  of  ,cut-off  would  not  be  even,  and  one  end  of  the 
cylinder  would  do  more  work  than  the  other.  For  this,  and 
other  reasons,  this  method  is  not  recommended. 

Setting  the  Valve  on  Compounds.  The  valve  of  the 
Woolf-compound  cylinder  is  set  in  exactly  the  same  manner 
as  that  of  a  simple  engine,  the  part  of  valve  covering  low- 
pressure  ports  only,  being  considered. 

Setting  a  Valve  with  Link  Reverse.  After  having  taken 
up  all  the  lost  motion,  as  explained,  the  first  thing  to  do,  in 
setting  the  valve  on  an  engine  equipped  with  the  "link"  re- 
verse, is  to  find  the  correct  length  of  the  eccentric-rods.  To 
do  this,  take  off  the  steam-chest  cover  and  place  the  reverse 


THE   VALVE-GEAR.  8l 

lever  in  the  last  notch  at  either  end  of  the  quadrant.  Now, 
with  a  scratch-awl  having  a  very  fine  point,  make  scratches 
on  the  valve  seat,  showing  the  extreme  position  of  the  valve 
at  each  end  of  its  travel  as  the  fly-wheel  is  revolved.  Meas- 
ure from  the  marks  to  the  outside  edges  of  the  steam  ports, 
and,  if  there  be  any  difference,  divide  it  up  by  lengthening 
or  shortening  the  eccentric-rod,  that  is  for  the  time  being, 
moving  the  valve.  The  length  of  the  other  rod  is  found 
in  the  same  way,  the  reverse-lever  being  at  the  opposite  end 
of  the  quadrant.  If  the  engine  be  marked  and  you  have  the 
"tram"  for  placing  it  on  the  centers,  as  already  explained, 
proceed  to  set  the  valve  as  follows :  After  the  lengths  of 
the  eccentric-rods  are  correctly  adjusted,  according  to  the 
method  already  given,  place  the  engine  on  one  of  its  dead- 
centers,  say.  the  head  one,  and  set  the  reverse  lever  in  the 
last  notch  at  either  end  of  the  quadrant.  The  valve  should 
now  be  in  such  a  position  that  the  port  leading  to  the  head 
end  of  the  cylinder  should  show  a  "lead"  equal  to  the  thick- 
ness of  an  ordinary  playing  card.  The  amount  of  lead 
may  be  varied  by  rotating  the  eccentric  hub  around  the 
shaft.  Rotating  it  in  the  direction  in  which  the  engine  is  to 
run  increases  the  lead  and  moving  it  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion decreases  the  lead.  When  you  have  obtained  the  desired 
lead,  place  the  engine  on  the  other  dead  center  and  see  if 
the  lead  be  the  same.  If  it  be  not,  the  valve-stem  should  be 
lengthened  or  shortened,  (by  means  of  adjusting  nuts),  until 
it  is  the  same.  If,  after  dividing  the  lead,  there  be  too 


82  SCIENCE    OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

much  or  too  little,  rotate  the  eccentric  hub  on  the  shaft,  until 
the  required  lead  is  obtained  at  both  ends.  The  valve  is  now 
set  for  the  engine  running  either  "over"  or  "under,"  accord- 
ing to  the  end  of  the  quadrant  at  which  the  reverse  lever  was 
set.  The  reverse-lever  may  now  be  placed  in  the  other  end 
of  the  quadrant  and  the  valve  set  for  the  other  motion.  This 
is  done  in  the  same  manner,  except  that  the  dividing  of  the 
lead  must  now  be  done  on  the  eccentric-rod  instead  of  the 
valve-stem,  so  that  the  first  setting  will  not  be  disturbed. 
When  this  is  done,  try  the  other  motion  again,  so  that  when 
you  are  through,  you  know  that  the  lead  is  the  same  for  both 
dead-centers  for  the  engine  running  either  over  or  under. 
The  draw-block  should  be  examined  to  insure  its  not  being 
so  tipped  as  to  prevent  the  valve  from  raising  from  its  seat 
when  necessary  to  let  water  out  of  the  cylinder. 

With  the  link  reverse,  the  lead  can  be  as  much  or  as  little 
as  desired  and  need  not  be  the  same  for  both  motions.  How- 
ever, lead  equal  to  the  thickness  of  a  playing  card  will  give 
the  best  results  for  this  class  of  engines. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
THE  BOILER. 

function  of  the  boiler  is  to  heat  water 
sufficiently  to  change  it  into  steam,  for  use 
in  an  engine,  or  for  other  purposes.  The 
supply  of  water  for  the  boiler  has  been 
treated  under  "The  Feed  Water"  in  Chap- 
ter II,  and  the  management  of  the  fire  with 
various  fuels  under  "Firing"  in  Chapter  III. 
Temperature  of  Water  and  Steam  in  a  Boiler.  Although 
water  boils  in  an  open  vessel  at  212  degrees  Fahrenheit,  if 
it  be  confined,  a  pressure  will  be  developed,  which  will  pre- 
vent it  from  boiling  until  a  higher  temperature  is  reached. 
A  certain  relation  exists  between  the  pressure  and  tempera- 
ture of  the  steam  in  a  boiler  and  for  any  given  pressure  there 
is  a  corresponding  temperature.  Thus,  for  a  pressure  of  50 
Ibs.,  the  temperature  is  267  degrees,  for  100  Ibs.  pressure  the 
the  temperature  is  337  degrees,  and  for  125  Ibs.  pressure, 
the  temperature  is  352  degrees.  The  temperature  in  the 
firebox  is,  of  course,  many  times  greater. 

Boiler  Fittings.  The  fittings  necessary  for  the  operation 
of  a  boiler,  are  the  feeder,  (for  supplying  the  water),  glass 
gage  and  gage  cocks,  (for  indicating  the  water  level),  a 
steam  gage,  (for  indicating  the  pressure),  a  pop  or  safety 

83 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


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THE    BOILER.  85 

valve,  (to  prevent  the  pressure  from  reaching  a  dangerous 
height),  and  a  "blow-off"  valve,  (for  draining  the  boiler). 
A  boiler  is  usually  fitted  also  with  a  whistle  for  signaling, 
and  a  blower  for  forcing  the  draft.  The  water  feeders,  water 
glass  and  gage  cocks  have  been  treated  under  the  ".Feed 
Water"  in  Chapter  II. 

The  'Steam  Gage.  The  steam 
gage  indicates  the  steam  pressure 
in  the  boiler  in  pounds  per  square 
inch.  The  cut  shows  the  interior 
of  the  gage  used  on  Case  engines. 
The  curved  tube  or  Bourdon 
spring  has  an  oval  cross  section, 
and  when  exposed  to  pressure 

FIG.  27.  INTERIOR  OF  GAGE.  from  the  inside?  tends  to  straight- 
en, as  a  hose  will  do  when  under  water  pressure.  The  free 
end  of  the  Bourdon  tube  is  connected  to  the  pointer  by  means 
of  a  segment  lever  and  pinion  so  that  the  pointer,  which  is  on 
the  same  shaft  as  the  pinion,  revolves,  indicating  on  the  dial 
the  pressure  on  the  inside  of  the  tube,  which  is  the  same  as 
that  in  the  boiler.  In  order  to  prevent  the  temper  of  the  tube 
from  being  injured  by  hot  steam,  a  siphon,  which  con- 
denses the  steam  and  keeps  the  tube  filled  with  water, 
is  placed  between  the  gage  and  the  boiler.  The  sectional 
view  of  the  siphon  shows  a  loose  cap  over  the  pipe, 
which  extends  into  the  globe  chamber ;  this  deflects  the 


86 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


FIG.    28.       SECTION 
OF  SIPHON. 


entering  steam,  to  the  bottom,  where 
it  condenses  in  the  chamber,  and  thus 
effectually  prevents  any  live  steam 
from  reaching  the  spring  of  the  gage. 
The  cap  over  the  pipe  falls  when 
the  pressure  is  removed,  making  a 
siphon,  which  is  self-emptying,  and  thus 
all  danger  of  bursting  by  frost  is  over- 
come. The  cock  should  always  be  left 
open. 

The  Pop  Safety  Valve.  The  safety 
valve  opens  when  the  pressure  reaches 
a  certain  point,  allowing  the  excess 
steam  to  escape  .and  closes 
when  the  pressure  has  been 
reduced  a  few  pounds.  The 
valves  are  usually  set  at  the 
factory  to  blow  off  at  one 
hundred  and  thirty  pounds. 
If  a  change  of  pressure  be  de- 
sired, unscrew  the  jam  nut  at 
the  top  and  apply  the  key, 
provided  for  this  purpose,  to 
the  pressure  screw.  For  more 
pressure,  screw  down;  for 
less,  unscrew.  After  having 

obtained  the  desired  pressure, 
FIG.  29. 

SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  POP  VALVE,     screw  the  .jam  nut  down  tight 


THE   BOILER.  87 

on  the  pressure  screw.  To  regulate  the  opening  and  closing 
action  of  the  valve,  take  the  pointed  end  of  a  file  and  apply 
it  to  the  teeth  of  the  regulator.  If  the  valve  closes  with  too 
much  loss  of  boiler  pressure,  move  the  regulator  to  the 
right.  This  can  be  done  when  the  valve  is  at  the  point  of 
blowing  off. 

The  Blower.  The  blower  consists  simply  of  a  pipe 
leading  from  the  boiler  to  a  nozzle  in  the  smoke-stack.  In 
the  pipe  is  a  valve  for  shutting  off  the  steam.  On  traction 
engines,  a  rod  is  fitted  to  this  valve,  allowing  it  to  be  oper- 
ated from  the  platform.  The  blower  is  intended  for  use 
only  in  raising  steam,  when  the  engine  is  not  running.  When 
the  engine  is  running,  its  exhaust  is  discharged  into  the 
smoke-stack,  creating  what  is  known  as  "forced"  draft,  as 
distinguished  from  "natural"  draft,  which  is  due  only  to 
the  height  of  the  chimney.  When  an  engine  has  been 
running  and  is  temporarily  shut  down  the  blower  should 
not  be  used  unless  the  entire  grate  surface  is  covered  with 
burning  fuel.  If.  the  blower  be  used  soon  after  shutting 
down  and  the  grates  are  not  entirely  covered  with  burning 
fuel,  cold  air  will  pass  through  the  dead  places  in  the  grates 
direct  to  the  tubes,  cooling  them  suddenly  and  rendering 
them  liable  to  leak. 

Foaming.  When  a  boiler  is  "foaming,"  the  water  in  the 
glass  appears  roily  and  the  level  changes  rapidly,  the  glass 
appearing  full  one  moment  and  nearly  empty  the  next.  Dirty 
water  is  usually  the  cause  of  foaming,  alkali,  or  soap  in  any 
quantities  being  especially  bad.'  No  one  should  be  allowed 


88  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

to  wash  in  the  tank,  as  even  a  small  quantity  of  soap  is  liable 
to  cause  trouble.  On  account  of  the  soap  used  in  manufac- 
ture, new  boilers  are  liable  to  foam  until  they  are  washed 
out  two  or  three  times.  It  is  difficult  to  tell  exactly  how 
much  water  there  is  in  a  foaming  boiler,  but  it  is  probable 
that  some  of  it  is  being  drawn  over  with  the  steam,  and 
therefore,  the  pump  should  feed  more  than  the  usual  amount. 
Do  not  run  too  long  with  a  foaming  boiler,  but  close  the 
throttle  occasionally  to  see  how  full  the  boiler  is  when  the 
water  settles.  The  remedy  for  foaming  is  to  keep  the  boiler 
clean  and  to  use  clean  water.  Foaming  often  causes  priming. 
Foaming  and  priming  are  more  apt  to  occur  with  low  than 
with  high  steam  pressure. 

Priming.  When  water  is  drawn  over  into  the  cylinder 
with  the  steam,  the  engine  is  said  to  "prime."  A  priming 
engine  appears  to  be  working  very  hard,  exhausting  heav- 
ily, throwing  water  from  the  stack  and  often  making  a  loud 
knocking  or  pounding  noise  in  the  cylinder.  Priming  may 
be  caused  by :  i .  Too  much  water  in  the  boiler.  2.  Too 
low  steam  pressure.  3.  Engine  working  hard  with  the  front 
of  the  boiler  low.  4.  Boiler  working  beyond  its  capacity. 
5.  Foaming.  6.  Piston  rings  or  valve  leaking.  7.  Valve 
improperly  set. 

In  case  the  engine  should  begin  to  prime,  the  cylinder 
cocks  should  be  opened  and  the  throttle  partially  closed,  so 
that  the  engine  runs  quite  slowly,  until  dry  steam  comes 
from  the  cylinder  cocks.  Priming  is  liable  to  knock  out  a 
cylinder  head,  break  the  piston  head,  or  do  other  serious 


THE   BOILER.  89 

damage  to  the  engine.  It  always  washes  the  oil  from  the 
cylinder  and  valve,  thereby  causing  the  latter  to  squeak.  The 
lubricator  or  oil  pump  should  be  allowed  to  feed  quite  freely 
after  priming,  or  serious  injury  to  the  valve-gear  may  result 

Painting  the  Boiler.  The  greater  part  of  the  boiler  can 
be  kept  black  and  looking  well  by  rubbing  with  oily  waste 
or  rags.  The  front  end  of  the  boiler,  around  the  smoke-box, 
and  the  smoke-stack  require  painting  from  time  to  time  to 
prevent  them  from  becoming  rusty  and  unsightly.  For  this, 
asphaltum  or  boiled  linseed  oil  mixed  with  a  little  lamp 
black,  is  suitable.  The  entire  boiler  may  also  be  painted  with 
either  of  these  when  necessary. 

Cleaning  the  Boiler.  No  rule  can  be  given  as  to  the  fre- 
quency with  which  a  boiler  should  be  washed  out.  In  some 
localities  it  is  necessary  to  clean  it  twice  a  week,  while  in 
others,  where  the  water  is  almost  perfectly  clean  and  pure, 
once  in  six  weeks  is  sufficient.  In  emptying  the  boiler  pre- 
paratory to  cleaning,  be  sure  that  all  of  the  fire  is  out,  and 
that  the  steam  pressure  is  below  ten  pounds  before  opening 
the  blow-off  valve.  This  is  necessary,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
mud  from  becoming  baked  on  the  tubes  and  sheets.  See  that 
the  fire  door,  smoke-box  door  and  drafts  are  all  closed  to  pre- 
vent the  boiler  from  cooling  too  quickly.  To  clean  the  boiler, 
remove  the  plugs  or  hand-hole  plates  in  the  water-leg  and 
also  the  one  at  the  bottom  of  the  front  tube-sheet.  Wash 
the  boiler  thoroughly  with  a  hose,  using  as  much  pressure 
as  possible.  Most  of  the  sediment  will  be  found  around  the 
"water-leg"  and  along  the  bottom  of  the  barrel. 


go  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING. 

Packing  Hand  Hole  Plates.  After  the  boiler  has  been 
cleaned,  the  hand-holes  must  be  re-packed,  for  it  seldom  hap- 
pens that  a  gasket  can  be  used  the  second  time.  Gaskets, 
for  re-packing,  may  be  purchased,  cut  ready  for  use,  or  they 
may  be  cut  from  sheet  rubber  packing  by  the  engineer.  Other 
substances,  such  as  sheet  asbestos,  card-board,  straw-board, 
or  rubber  belting  are  sometimes  used,  but  the  most  satis- 
factory material  for  this  purpose  is  two-ply  sheet  rubber, 
which  is  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  thick.  The  gasket 
should  be  cut  so  as  to  fit  closely  around  the  flange  on  the 
plate,  and  should  lie  flat.  The  gasket  for  the  bolt  head  may 
be  made  from  the  piece  cut  from  the  center  of  the  larger 
gasket.  Before  the  hand-hole  plate  is  replaced,  the  nut 
should  be  oiled  and  screwed  back  and  forth  the  whole  length 
of  the  thread  on  the  bolt,  using  a  wrench  if  necessary,  until 
it  may  be  easily  turned  with  the  fingers.  The  inside  of  the 
boiler  plate  and  the  face  of  the  hand-hole  plate,  where  the 
packing  touches,  should  be  scraped  as  clean  and  smooth  as 
possible.  Care  must  be  taken  in  inserting  the  plate,  to  pre- 
vent displacing  the  gasket.  When  the  hand-hole  plate  is 
in  place,  the  nut  should  not  be  screwed  down  too  tightly, 
when  the  engine  is  cold,  as  the  gasket  may  be  injured  so  that 
it  would  not  stand  steam  pressure.  It  is  best  to  screw  up 
the  nut  only  moderately  tight  when  cold,  and  turn  it  up  a 
little  more  with  a  wrench  when  steam  begins  to  show  on  the 
gage,  and  then  a  little  more  from  time  to  time  until  the  steam 
gage  shows  working  pressure.  In  this  way,  the  rubber  has 


THE   BOILER.  9 1 

a  chance  to  soften  with  the  heat  and  adapt  itself  to  the  iron 
surfaces. 

Cleaning  the  Tubes.  The  tubes  should  be  cleaned  at 
least  once  each  day,  whether  in  burning  coal,  wood  or  straw. 
The  tube  scraper  is  adjustable,  and  may  be  set  out  while 
in  the  tube  by  turning  the  rod  to  the  right.  Turning  the  rod 
to  the  left  decreases  the  size  of  the  scraper.  Soot  is  a  very 
poor  conductor  of  heat,  and  even  a  thin  coating  of  it  affects 
the  efficiency  of  the  boiler  to  a  considerable  extent.  It  is 
therefore,  essential  to  keep  the  scraper  well  set  out,  so  that 
all  the  soot  will  be  removed. 

Expanding  and  Beading  the  Tubes.  Leaky  tubes  should 
be  fixed  the  first  time  the  engine  cools.  When  the  steam  no 
longer  shows  on  the  gage,  remove  the  ash-pan  bottom  and 
grates ;  also  the  bricks,  if  the  engine  be  a  straw  burner.  If 
the  leaks  be  only  slight  ones,  they  may  be  stopped  by  simply 
using  a  beading  tool.  To  do  this  clean  the  end  of  the  tube 
and  the  tube  sheet  and  place  the  long  or  guiding  end  of  the 
tool  within  the  tube.  Use  a  small  hammer,  and  with  light 
blows  bead  the  tube  all  around,  moving  the  tool  slightly  at 
each  blow.  The  beading  tool  may  be  used  when  there  is 
water  in  the  boiler,  but  care  must  be  taken  to  use  only  very 
light  blows  of  the  hammer  or  the  concussion  will  be  trans- 
mitted by  the  water  and  loosen  other  tubes.  Having  water 
in  the  boiler  when  beading  the  tubes  has  the  advantage  of 
showing  the  leaks  so  that  it  may  be  known  when  the  tube  is 
tight.  If  the  leaks  be  more  serious,  it  will  be  necessary  to 


92  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

use  an  expander.  The  expander  requires  considerable  care 
and  some  experience  to  use,  and  in  the  hands  of  an  inexper- 
ienced or  careless  workman,  may  cause  great  damage  to  the 
boiler  by  distorting  the  flue  sheet,  or  rolling  the  tubes  thin 
and  worthless.  In  using  the  roller  expander,  place  the  flange 
against  the  tube  sheet  and  drive  the  pin  in  with  a  few  light 
blows.  Then  turn  it  back  and  forth  with  a  wrench  until  it 
loosens.  Drive  the  pin  in  again,  and  repeat  the  operation 
several  times.  The  roller  expander  may  be  used  when  there 
is  water  in  the  boiler.  If  a  spring  or  plug  expander  be  used, 
be  sure  that  it  is  the  right  size,  and  is  made  to  fit  the  thick- 
ness of  the  flue  sheet  in  your  boiler.  This  is  very  important. 
To  use  the  spring  expander,  place  it  within  the  tube  with 
the  shoulder  well  up  against  the  tube  sheet.  Drive  in  the 
taper  pin  with  a  few  light  blows  and  then  jar  it  out  by 
striking  it  on  the  side.  Repeat  several  times,  turning  the 
expander  a  little  each  time,  until  it  has  made  a  complete 
revolution.  The  spring  expander  cannot  be  used  when  there 
is  water  in  the  boiler,  as  the  jar  of  the  hammer-blows  will 
be  transmitted  to  the  other  tubes  and  loosen  them.  Use 
plenty  of  oil  on  either  style  of  expander,  and  carefully  clean 
the  end  of  the  tube  of  soot  and  scale  before  inserting  the 
tool.  Care  must  be  taken,  in  expanding  the  tubes,  not  to 
expand  them  so  hard  as  to  stretch  or  enlarge  the  hole  in  the 
tube  sheet,  and  thereby  loosen  the  adjoining  tubes.  When 
all  of  the  leaky  tubes  have  been  expanded,  they  must  be 
beaded  down  against  the  sheet  with  the  beading  tool. 


THE    BOTLKR.  93 

Danger  of  Using  an  Old  Boiler.  There  is  danger  of  a 
boiler  exploding  with  plenty  of  water  in  it,  if  any  part 
has  corroded  or  been  weakened  so  that  a  considerable 
portion  of  it  is  liable  to  give  way  at  any  time.  The 
water  in  a  steam  boiler  under  pressure,  is  explosive,  and 
anything  that  reduces  the  pressure  suddenly,  will- precipi- 
tate an  explosion.  Return  flue  boilers  are  especially  dan- 
perous  when  old,  on  account  of  the  large  flue. 

Testing  a  Boiler.  To  test  an  old  boiler  is  not  an  easy 
matter.  We  advise  making  the  "cold  water  test"  as  follows : 
Fill  the  boiler  nearly  full  of  water  and  build  a  fire  to  heat 
the  water  luke  warm.  When  this  is  done,  withdraw  the  fire, 
fill  the  boiler  to  the  top  of  the  dome  and  attach  a  small  hand 
pump.  The  steam  gage  will  register  the  pressure,  which 
may  be  anything  desired.  The  chill  is  taken  off  the  water 
as  the  boiler  is  less  liable  to  be  strained  when  the  iron  is 
a  little  warm.  The  boiler  may  be  tested  with  a  hammer, 
but  when  coated  with  scale,  this  is  not  easy,  even  for  an 
expert.  The  best  way  to  test  it  is  to  go  over  the  boiler  with 
a  straight-edge,  carefully  noting  how  much  the  sheets  are 
out  of  shape.  This  should  be  done  first  with  no  pressure, 
then  repeating,  increasing  the  pressure  with  the  pump  about 
twenty-five  pounds  at  a  time.  On  a  locomotive  boiler,  the 
straight  edge  should  be  placed  between  the  stay  bolts.  The 
parts  exposed  to  the  greatest  heat  should  be  examined  par- 
ticularly, as  should  also  the  bottom  of  the  shell  and  along 
the  riveted  seams,  where  it  is  liable  to  be  corroded.  If 
there  be  any  doubt  about  any  part,  or  if  the  straight-edge 


94  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

shows  that  the  sheets  spring  or  bulge  with  the  pressure,  the 
only  way  to  be  sure  is  to  drill  a  small  hole  and  determine  the 
thickness.  If  found  to  be  safe,  the  hole  may  be  made  tight 
•by  tapping  and  screwing  in  a  copper  plug. 

Another  Method.  A  boiler  may  be  tested  without  using 
a  pump.  In  this  case  the  boiler  is  filled  with  water  to  the  very 
top  of  the  dome  before  the  fire  is  built,  and  the  expansion  of 
the  water,  as  it  increases  in  temperature,  gives  the  desired 
pressure  for  testing.  The  boiler  may  be  filled  by  removing 
the  whistle  or  the  pop-valve  and  pouring  the  water  through 
its  pipe.  The  throttle  and  all  of  the  openings  from  the  boiler 
must  be  closed  before  the  fire  is  built.  Straw  should  be 
used  as  fuel,  as  a  fire  of  it  may  be  quickly  checked.  When 
other  fuel,  such  as  pine  kindling  wood  is  used,  very  little 
should  be  allowed  in  the  fire-box,  and  the  fire  carefully 
watched.  Enough  dirt,  sand  or  ashes  should  be  at  hand  to 
check  the  fire  at  any  instant.  The  pressure  must  be  closely 
watched,  and  if  it  shows  a  tendency  to  rise  too  rapidly,  or 
go  too  high,  the  fire  must  be  covered.  The  pop-valve  will 
open  at  the  point  at  which  it  is  set,  in  the  same  way  as  for 
steam  pressure. 

Amount  of  Pressure.  An  old  boiler  should  not  be  tested 
at  a  greater  pressure  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  as 
higher  ones  are  apt  to  strain  and  weaken  the  boiler.  When 
a  boiler  has  been  tested  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
cold  water  pressure,  it  may  be  used  at  a  working  pressure 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE   TRACTION   GEARING. 

HEN  the  traction  gearing  is  used  only  in 
moving  the  engine  from  place  to  place,  very 
little  attention  need  be  given  to  it.  When, 
however,  the  engine  is  used  for  plowing  or 
for  hauling  freight,  the  gearing  must  receive 
careful  attention  in  order  fo  prevent  the  pos- 
sibility of  expensive  repairs.  The  parts 
which  require  special  attention  on  engines  used  for  hauling 
heavy  loads  are  the  lower  cannon  bearing  and  the  stud  on 
which  the  intermediate  gear  runs.  The  pinions  on  the 
counter-shaft  should  mesh  properly  with  the  gears  on  the 
traction  wheels.  These  may  be  set  deeper  into  mesh  on 
"Case"  engines  by  adjusting  the  turn-buckles  in  the  links, 
called  "distance  links,"  which  connect  the  upper  and  lower 
cannon  bearings.  The  springs  which  carry  the  weight  of  the 
boiler  should  not  have  too  much  leeway  if  the  engine  be 
used  for  heavy  hauling. 

Oiling  the  Cannon  Bearings.  A  quantity  of  oil  may  be 
poured  into  the  upper  and  lower  cannon  bearings,  which 
will  insure  the  lubrication  of  the  axle  and  counter-shaft, 
since  it  can  only  work  out  at  the  ends.  The  oil  boxes 
should  be  partly  filled  with  wool  or  waste,  and  all  other 

95 


96 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


openings  stopped  by  carefully  fitted  pieces  of  wood,  in 
order  to  prevent  sand  and  other  gritty  substances  from  enter- 
ing the  cannon  bearings. 

Greasing  the  Gearing.     The  gearing  should  be  kept  well 
coated  with  axle  grease.     It  is  true  that  many  men  argue 


FIG.    30.       CUT   SHOWING   CANNON   BEARINGS   AND   GEARING. 

that  grease  collects  and  holds  sand  which  will  cause  cutting 
of  gears.  To  prove  the  fallacy  of  this  belief,  however,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  observe  the  gearing  on  engines  which  have 
been  run  by  men  of  this  opinion.  In  many  cases,  the  gearing 
will  be  found  more  badly  worn  than  its  use  would  warrant, 
The  Friction  Clutch.  The  friction  clutch  is  used  to  con- 
nect the  engine  to  the  traction  gearing  and  wheels.  By 
means  of  it,  the  engine  may  be  made  to  travel  as  slowly  as 
desired,  while  the  engine  proper  is  running  at  full  speed. 
When  the  clutch  is  in  partial  engagement,  the  shoes,  (A), 


THE   TRACTION    GEARING. 


97 


(Fig.  30),  press  lightly  against  the  rim  of  the  fly-wheel, 
transmitting  only  part  of  its  motion  to  the  gearing.  But  when 
in  full  engagement,  the  shoes  press  so  hard  against  the  rim  of 
the  fly-wheel  that  they  prevent  slipping,  thus  locking  the  fly- 
wheel and  pinion,  (C),  together.  The  two  shoes  are  hinged 
to  the  ends  of  the  arm,  (B).  This  arm  has  a  long  sleeve, 
which  is  loose  upon  the  shaft,  but  at  the  end  of  which  the 
pinion,  (C),  is  firmly  keyed.  The  sliding  ring,  (D),  (Fig. 
31),  is  loose  upon  the  sleeve,  and  when  moved  toward  the  fly- 
wheel, straightens  the  toggle  levers,  thus  pressing  the  shoes 

against  the  rim  of  the  fly- 
wheel. The  sliding  ring  is 
moved  by  means  of  the  trun- 
nion ring,  (E),  which  re- 
mains stationary,  but  allows 
the  sliding  ring  to  revolve 
within  it.  The  trunnion  ring 
is  held  to  the  sliding  ring 
by  means  of  the  clamp  ring, 
(F). 

Adjusting  the  Clutch. 
The  wear  on  the  shoes  is 
taken  up  by  means  of  the 
turn-buckles  in  the  toggle  levers.  They  should  be  so  ad- 
justed that  the  toggle  levers  will  just  pass  the  straight  line 
when  the  clutch  is  in  engagement,  thus  relieving  the  trunnion 
ring  of  all  side  friction;  they  should  also  be  so  adjusted  as 


FIG.    31.       FRICTION    CLUTCH. 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


to  produce  equal  tension  on  both  shoes,  or  undue  friction 
will  be  produced  on  the  sliding  ring  making  the  lever  hard 
to  handle.  A  good  way  to  adjust  the  turnbuckles  is  to  apply 
a  large  wrench  to  them,  when  the  clutch  is  in  engagement, 
and  lengthen  the  toggle  levers  until  the  shoes  are  pressed 
hard  against  the  rim.  In  this  manner,  the  shoes  can  be  given 
equal  and  sufficient  pressure  and  when  the  clutch  is  drawn 
out  of  engagement,  the  shoes  will  clear  the  rim.  Of  course, 
the  jam-nuts  must  be  loosened  before  adjusting  and  tight- 
ened afterwards.  The  inside  end  of  the  fly-wheel  hub  should 
touch  the  end  of  the  clutch  sleeve,  or  the  sliding  ring  cannot 
carry  the  toggle  levers  beyond  the  straight  line.  The 
wooden  shoes  are  easily  replaced  when  worn  out. 

Examine  the  clutch  and  see 
that  it  is  properly  adjusted  be- 
fore starting  up  or  down  a  very 
steep  hill.  If  it  be  in  good  order, 
it  will  not  fail  to  do  its  work. 
Oiling  the  Clutch.  When  the 

engine    is    traveling    the    entire 
FIG.  32. 

clutch  moves  together  with  the 

SECTION    OF    CLUTCH-ARM 

AND  RINGS.  'exception      of      the      trunnion- 

ring.  This,  then,  should  be  oiled  when  the  engine  is  on  the 
road.  When  threshing,  the  clutch  remains  stationary,  while 
the  shaft  revolves  within  it.  The  long  sleeve  should  then 
be  oiled  and  also  the  end  of  the  fly-wheel  hub  where  it 
comes  in  contact  with  the  end  of  the  sleeve.  There  are 


THE   TRACTION    GEARING. 


99 


eight  or  nine  oil-holes  in  the  sleeve,  three  of  which  are  drilled 
between  the  teeth  of  the  pinion.  There  is  also  an  oil-hole 
iri  the  upper  trunnion  of  the  trunnion-ring. 


FIG.    33.      REAR  VIEW  OF      CASE*  TRACTION   ENGINE. 

The  Differential  Gear.  In  order  to  have  both  traction 
wheels  pull,  when  the  engine  is  traveling  either  forward  or 
backward,  and  at  the  same  time  allow  one  wheel  to  travel 
further  than  the  other  in  turning  corners,  the  differential  gear 
is  necessary.  It  transmits  the  power  from  the  intermediate 
gear  to  the  two  counter-shaft  pinions,  which  mesh  with  the 


IOO  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

spur  gears  on  the  traction  wheels.  The  four  bevel  pinions 
are  carried  by  the  center  casting,  and  mesh  with  two  bevel 
gears,  one  of  which  is  cast  in  one  piece  with  the  right-hand 
counter-shaft  pinion,  (which  is  loose  upon  the  shaft),  and 
the  other  of  which  is  keyed  to  the  counter-shaft  and  drives 
the  left-hand  counter-shaft  pinion,  (which  is  also  keyed  to 
the  shaft).  It  will  be  seen  that  when  the  engine  travels 
straight  ahead,  both  counter-shaft  pinions  turn  with  the  shaft 
and  the  whole  differential  revolves  as  one  piece.  In  turning 
corners,  however,  the  bevel  pinions  revolve,  permitting  one 
of  the  counter-shaft  pinions  to  revolve  faster  than  the  other, 
thus  allowing  the  traction  wheels  to  accommodate  themselves 
to  the  curve  of  the  road.  The  differential  spur  wheel  is  a 
separate  piece  from  the  center  casting,  the  power  being  trans- 
mitted from  the  rim  to  the  center  casting  through  coil 
springs,  which  relieve  the  gearing  of  the  shocks  of  starting 
and  stopping  the  engine. 

Locking  the  Differential.  When  both  traction  wheels 
have  resistance,  they  pull  equally,  but  if  the  engine  be  "jacked 
up"  until  one  of  them  is  off  the  ground  and  free  to  turn, 
then  when  the  engine  is  started,  the  differential  gear  will 
allow  the  free  traction  wheel  to  revolve  at  twice  its  usual 
speed,  while  the  traction  wheel  on  the  ground  will  scarcely 
pull  at  all.  Revolving  at  twice  its  usual  speed  means  that 
the  free  traction  wheel  makes  one  revolution  to  nine  of  the 
fly-wheel,  instead  of,  to  the  usual  eighteen.  Often,  when 
one  wheel  is  in  a  slippery  place,  it  will  spin  around,  while 


THE   TRACTION    GEARING. 


IOI 


the  other  on  solid  ground  remains  still  without  pulling  at 
all.  To  provide  for  such  emergencies,  the  hub  of  the  left 
traction  wheel  is  made  so  that  a  pin  can  be  inserted  and  both 
wheels  locked  to  the  axle.  This,  of  course,  makes  both  trac- 
tion wheels  revolve  together,  and  prevents  the  differential 
i 

gear  from  working.  The  engine  must  be  steered  straight 
when  the  lock-pin  is  used,  or  broken  gearing  is  liable  to 
result. 


FIG.    34.      THE  DIFFERENTIAL  GEAR,   SHOWING   SPRINGS 

Oiling  the  Differential.  The  journals  of  the  bevel-pin- 
ions in  the  differential  and  the  hub  of  the  left  traction  wheel 
should  be  oiled  occasionally.  The  left-hand  or  inside  bevel- 


IO2         .          SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

gear  turns  upon  the  shaft,  when  the  differential-gear  works, 
and  accordingly,  it  should  be  oiled  occasionally  through  the 

hole  provided  for  this  purpose  in  its  hub.    The  bevel-pinions 

< 
also  revolve  about  their  shafts.    An  oil-hole  is  drilled  through 

the  center  of  each  of  these  shafts,  to  provide  for  oiling  them, 
as  is  shown  in  Fig.  32.  The  hub  of  the  left  traction  wheel 
turns  upon  the  axle  in  turning  corners,  and  therefore  should 
be  oiled  occasionally.  This  is  done  by  removing  the  cap- 
screws  in  the  hub  of  the  traction  wheel. 


CHAPTER  X. 
WATER-TANKS. 

HE  threshing  outfit,  to  be  complete,  must  be 
provided  with  first-class  water-tanks.  A 
leaky  tank  is  very  apt  to  cause  delay.  One 
that  is  liable  to  break  down  may  entirely  cut 
off  the  water  supply  for  a  time.  The  axles 
are  wet  much  of  the  time  and  therefore,  rot 
very  fast  and  are  apt  to  break  without  warn- 
ing. Waiting  for  water  for  any  cause  should  not  be  tol- 
erated by  the  man  in  charge  of  a  threshing  outfit,  and  one 
whose  duty  it  is  to  haul  water  should  never  allow  the  rig 
to  be  idle  for  lack  of  it.  In  localities  where  the  farms  are 
small  and  water  may  be  had  near  at  hand,  one  mounted 
tank  does  very  well,  as  the  platform  tank,  (with  which  an 
engine  is  usually  equipped),  will  furnish  the  water  while 
the  mounted  tank  is  being  refilled.  In  localities  where  the 
water  must  sometimes  be  hauled  a  mile  or  more,  two  mounted 
tanks  are  generally  used,  or  if  only  one  be  used,  three  or  four 
barrels  should  be  provided  to  use  in  addition  to  the  plat- 
form tank. 

Engine  Tenders.  Within  the  last  few  years  engine  ten- 
ders have  come  largely  into  use  and  they  are  very  conven- 
ient, especially  where  most  of  the  threshing  is  done  around 

103 


104  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

barns  and  it  is  necessary  to  back  the  engine  more  or  less. 
The  engine  tender  does  what  its  name  implies,  that  is,  it 
keeps  a  supply  of  coal  and  water  near  at  hand. 

Tank  Pumps.  At  least  one  tank  with  each  outfit  should 
have  a  tank  pump,  with  a  capacity  of  about  two  barrels  a 
minute.  The  pump  is  of  use  not  only  in  filling  the  tank,  but 
also  in  rapidly  transferring  water  from  it  to  the  platform 
tank,  engine  tender,  or  barrels.  When  equipped  with  a 
sprinkling  hose,  it  is  also  useful  in  washing  out  the  boiler. 

Attaching  "Case"  Tender.  Remove  the  tank  from  under 
the  platform.  Place  the  tender  in  position  behind  the  engine 
and  put  in  the  draw-pin.  Turn  the  front  axle  of  the  engine 
square,  measuring  on  each  side  with  a  string  or  tape  from 
the  traction  wheel  of  the  engine.  Place  the  tender  axle 
square,  measuring  from  the  traction  wheels  in  like  manner. 
Now  connect  the  steering  chains.  They  pass  from  the  tender 
axle,  above  the  step,  along  the  sides  of  the  fire-box  and  pass 
over  the  reach-rod,  crossed,  the  right  chain  going  to  the 
left  end  and  the  left  chain  to  the  right  end  of  the  front  axle. 
An  eye-bracket,  (56R),  is  placed  on  each  side  of  the  fire- 
box, near  the  bottom,  through  which  the  chains  pass.  To 
locate  the  holes  for  bolting  these  on,  hold  one  of  them  in 
position,  (with  the  bolt  holes  down),  between  the  second 
and  third  rivet  from  the  front,  in  the  horizontal  row  of 
rivets  along  the  sides,  so  that  the  center  of  the  bolt  holes 
will  be  four  and  three-eighths  inches  from  the  bottom  of  the 
sheet.  Mark  the  holes  through  the  casting  and  drill  them 


WATER-TANKS. 


105 


with  a  nine-sixteenths  inch  drill.  This  will  bring  the  heads 
of  the  one-half  inch  bolts  inside  of  the  ash  pan.  The  chain 
brackets  on  the  front  axle  of  the  engine  are  placed  so  that 
the  chain  is  above  the  axle.  The  position  of  these  brackets 
is  given  in  the  table  below. 


SIZE 
ENGINE 

Distanc  of 
Draw  Eye 
from  Ground  I 

1 

Diameter  of 
Wheels  on 
Tender 

Distance 
Front  to  Rear 
Axle 
of  Engine 

Distance 
from  Rear  En. 
fine  Axle  to 
ender  Axle 

Distance 
apart  of  Con- 
nections on 
Tender  Axle 

Distance 
apart  of  Con- 
nections on 
Front  Engine 
Axle 

Inches. 

Inches. 

Inches 

Inches 

Inches 

Inches 

9  H.  P. 

25  J£ 

30 

98 

86J£ 

37 

32^ 

12  H.  P. 

29 

31 

113 

87 

37 

28^ 

15  H.  P. 

29 

34 

126 

87 

37 

25i£ 

20  H,  P. 

"32 

42 

134^ 

87 

37 

24 

25  H.  P. 

32 

42 

142^ 

87M 

37 

22^ 

The  chains  must  not  be  allowed  to  get  too  loose.  The 
wear  may  be  taken  up  by  means  of  the  turn-buckles.  If 
they  are  too  taut,  the  engine  will  steer  hard.  When  con- 
nected according  to  these  directions,  the  tender  will  retain 
its  alignment  while  following  the  engine  backward  or  for- 
ward, around  any  curve. 

Attaching  to  Other  Engines.  For  engines  of  other  make, 
to  find  the  distance  the  chains  should  be  apart  on  the  front 
axle,  first  place  the  tender  in  position  and  place  the  front 
axle  of  the  engine  and  the  axle  of  the  tender  square.  Then 
measure  the  distance  of  the  tender  axle  from  the  rear  axle 
of  the  engine  and  multiply  this  number  by  the  distance  in 
inches  between  the  chain  connections  on  the  tender  axle, 


106  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

(thirty-seven  inches).  Divide  this  product  by  the  distance 
of  the  front  axle  of  the  engine  from  the  rear  axle  of  the 
engine.  The  numbers  must  be  in  inches  in  every  case  and 
the  quotient  so  obtained  will  be  the  distance  the  chains  should 
be  apart  on  the  front  axle  of  the  engine.  If  it  be  impossible 
to  put  them  the  required  distance  apart  on  the  engine  axle, 
assume  some  distance  between  the  connections  on  the  tender 
axle  and  figure  it  again,  substituting  the  assumed  distance. 
To  find  the  diameter  of  the  wheels  for  the  tender,  subtract 
eleven  from  the  number  of  inches  the  engine  draw-eye  is 
from  the  ground  and  multiply  the  remainder  by  two ;  the 
product  will  be  the  required  diameter,  in  inches,  of  the  tender 
wheels.  Three  sizes  of  wheels  are  furnished,  thirty  inch, 
thirty-four  inch  and  forty-two  inch.  The  parts  necessary 
to  attach  the  tender  to  "Case"  center-crank  engines  can  also 
be  furnished. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
HORSE-POWERS. 

HE  horse-power,  which,  at  one  time,  was  the 
principal  means  of  driving  threshing- 
machines,  is  still  used  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent for  this  purpose.  With  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  good,  strong  horses,  this  means  of 
supplying  the  motive  power  for  threshing  is 
very  satisfactory, 'and,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
the  investment  involved  in  a  horse-power  outfit  is  consider- 
ably less  than  is  required  for  a  steam  rig,  it  is  probable  that 
the  horse-power  will  continue  its  usefulness  in  this  industry 
for  many  years  to  come.  The  present  style  of  metal-frame 
power  is  superior  to  the  wood-frame  because  it  is  not  sub- 
ject to  atmospheric  conditions,  which  continually  cause  the 
swelling  and  shrinking  of  wood. 

Starting  a  New  Horse-Power.  The  first  thing  to  do  in 
preparing  a  new  power  for  work  is  to  carefully  clean  the 
cinders  from  the  oil-boxes.  Next,  oil  each  of  the  bearings 
and  thoroughly  grease  all  the  gearing,  turning  the  power  by 
hand  until  the  entire  wearing  surface  is  well  lubricated.  A 
new  power  should  be  run  at  least  half  an  hour  before  being 
coupled  to  the  separator  or  other  machine  to  be  run.  If  the 
horses  be  nervous,  because  unused  to  the  work,  put  a  man 


108  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

with  each  team  until  they  are  accustomed  to  the  noise  and  to 
traveling  in  a  circle. 

Setting  a  Horse-Power.  A  horse-power,  to  work  prop- 
erly, must  be  securely  held  in  position.  To  do  this,  it  is 
necessary  to  use  at  least  four  stakes,  each  of  which  should 
be  about  three  feet  long.  The  power  should  be  set  in  align- 
ment with  the  separator  so  that  the  tumbling-rods  are  as 
straight  as  possible.  As  it  is  almost  impossible  to  secure 
the  power  so  that  it  will  not  shift  slightly  when  started,  it 
is  best  to  make  allowance  for  this  when  setting.  The  line 
of  rods  cannot  be  straight  horizontally,  as  one  end  must 
attach  to  the  spur-pinion  shaft  of  the  power  and  the  other 
to  the  bevel-gear  shaft  of  the  separator,  while  the  second 
rod  from  the  power  must  lie  near  the  ground  in  order  to 
allow  the  horses  to  walk  over  it.  The  angles  in  the  line  of 
rods  necessary  to  meet  these  conditions  are  taken  care  of  by 
the  knuckles  connecting  them,  but  the  angles  should  be  care- 
fully divided  so  that  they  are  as  slight  as  possible  at  each 
knuckle.  When  run  at  great  angles,  knuckles  consume  con- 
siderable power  and  cause  excessive  and  unnecessary  work 
on  the  part  of  the  horses. 

Lubrication  of  the  Horse-Pozver.  There  are  two  bull- 
pinion  boxes,  (an  upper  and  lower),  and  two  center-boxes 
at  each  end,  making  eight  boxes  in  all,  to  be  oiled  on  the 
bull-pinion  shafts.  There  are  also  two  spur-pinion  shaft 
boxes  and  the  journals  of  the  traverse-rollers  to  be  oiled. 
All  the  gearing  and  the  bottom  and  the  top  of  the  bull-wheel 


HORSE-POWERS. 


ICQ 


rim  should  be  coated  with  good  axle  grease.  When  the 
grease  becomes  hard  and  caked  with  dirt,  it  should  be  cleaned 
off  and  fresh  grease  applied. 

Connecting  the  Equalisers.     The  following  cut  shows  a 
top  view  of  a  fourteen-horse  power  with  "sweeps,"  braces 


FIG.   35.      TOP  VIEW  OF  POWER  WITH   SWEEPS  AND  EQUALIZER 

ATTACHED. 

and  equalizer-rods  attached.     In  hooking  the  equalizer-rods, 
always  hook  the  ends  of  two  rods  in  the  end  ring  of  the 


no 


SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


chains.     The  ring  near  the  center  of  each  chain  is  merely  a 
stop  and  the  rods  should  never  be  hooked  into  it. 

Speed  of  the  Tumbling-Rods.  The  use  of  the  sixteen- 
cog  pinion,  which  gives  one-hundred  and  one  revolutions  of 
the  tumbling-rods  to  one  round  of  the  horses,  is  recom- 
mended, and  will  ordinarily  run  the  cylinder  of  a  "Case" 
separator  at  the  proper  speed.  The  following  table  gives  a 
complete  list  of  spur-pinions  for  "Case"  horse-powers',  any 
of  which  may  be  obtained  if  desired. 


. 

&. 

w11  « 

r?«S«fi 

W 

£ 
1 

I 

IM 

o 

|o 
2,  <u 

l!s  - 
III 

3  9  w 

1 

h 

«M    fl 

a 

^ 

°^5  § 

o,a  » 

O 

<u 

d 

.2  J{ 

^•«i  O 

D^H  O 

u 

d 

5 

p 

oJ^rC 

Wf^ 

n.^N* 

*>> 

& 

S 

^ 

P^S^ 

03  2  « 

<o8« 

f 

4/8W 

iH'32 

15 

107 

267 

241 

Wood 

4    W 

1  11^2 

16 

101 

252 

227 

Wood 

4/^W 

1  13^2 

17 

95 

237 

214 

Wood 

9    W 

1  11^2 

18 

90 

225 

202 

Wood 

7     W 

I1M$2 

20 

81 

202 

182 

Wood 

4^W 

1  1^2 

21 

76 

190 

171 

Wood 

8    W 

11VS2 

22 

73 

182 

164 

Wood 

A2I2W 

1^2 

15 

107 

267 

241 

Iron 

2I2W 

iV2 

16 

101 

252 

227 

Iron 

2I3W 

iV2 

17 

95 

237 

214 

Iron 

A9W 

1^2 

18 

9° 

225 

202 

Iron 

A7W 

iji 

20 

81 

202 

182 

Iron 

A8W 

i% 

22 

73 

182 

164 

Iron 

Separator  Side-Gear.  A  separator  must  be  fitted  with  a 
side-gear,  or  a  jack  must  be  used,  in  order  to  be  driven  by 
means  of  a  horse-power.  A  speed  of  750  revolutions  for 
the  twenty-bar  or  1075  f°r  tne  twelve-bar  cylinder  of  "Case" 
separators  fitted  with  a  side-gear,  requires  a  tumbling-rod 


HORSE-POWERS.  Ill 

speed  of  about  227  revolutions  per  minute.  The  required 
speed  of  the  tumbling-rods  is  found,  in  each  case,  by  multi- 
plying the  number  of  revolutions  of  the  cylinder  by  the  num- 
ber of  teeth  on  the  cylinder-pinion  and  dividing  the  product 
by  the  number  of  teeth  on  the  bevel-gear. 

Jacks  for  Horse-Powers.  The  device  used  to  change  the 
motion  of  the  tumbling-rods  into  that  of  a  pulley  is  called 
a  "jack."  The  "Case"  jack  has  a  bevel-gear,  (2o8T),  with 
sixty  teeth  and  a  pinion,  (2O9T),  with  twenty-two  teeth. 
The  pulley,  (2o6T),  is  sixteen  inches  in  diameter  and  has 
a  six-inch  face. 

Adjusting  the  Iron-Frame  Horse-Power.  It  is  very  im- 
portant that  the  bull-pinions  should  mesh  properly  with  the 
bull-wheel.  When  the  bull-pinion  shafts  are  correctly  set, 
the  bull-wheel  will  not  have  more  than  one-sixteenth  of  an 
inch  up  and  down  play  at  any  point.  As  the  web  between 
the  upper  and  lower  cogs  of  the  bull-wheel  varies  in  thick- 
ness, it  is  best  to  locate  the  thickest  place  and  mark  it. 
This  part  may  be  then  turned  between  the  bull-pinions  and 
the  shaft  bearings  adjusted  so  that  the  gears  mesh  as  deeply 
as  possible  and  at  the  same  time  allow  the  bull-wheel  to  pass 
freely  between  them.  In  building  powers  at  the  factory 
leather  packing  is  placed  between  the  box  of  the  upper 
short  bull-pinion  shaft  and  the  main  frame  It  is  the  inten- 
tion to  shave  down  this  leather  packing  from  time  to  time 
as  the  bearings  wear,  thus  allowing  the  bull-pinions  to  be 
kept  in  proper  mesh  by  means  of  set  screws.  The  box  of  the 


112  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

lower  short  bull-pinion  shaft  has  no  leather  between  it  and 
the  main  frame;  however,  it  can  be  set  deeper  in  gear  at 
any  time  by  turning  its  set-screw  from  below.  The  main 
spur-wheel  shaft  is  not  adjustable  and  the  set  screws  bear- 
ing against  its  boxes  are  used  only  to  prevent  them  from 
becoming  loose  in  their  slots.  Adjustable  slides  are  placed 
above  and  below  the  bull-wheel.  Those  below  have  set- 
screw  adjustment,  and  should  be  adjusted,  as  they  wear,  so 
that  the  bull- wheel  just  clears  the  lower  bull-pinions.  The 
top  slides  prevent  the  up  and  down  movement  of  the  bull- 
wheel,  and  should  be  set  down  as  they  wear.  The  traverse- 
rollers  prevent  the  bull-wheel  from  crowding  endwise  on  the 
bull-pinions.  They  should  be  set  out  by  the  key  adjustment 
as  they  wear.  The  spur-pinion  frame  is  secured  by  four 
five-eighths  inch  bolts  in  slotted  holes.  These  allow  adjust- 
ment of  the  pinion  so  that  it  may  be  made  to  mesh  properly 
with  the  spur-wheel.  When  properly  set,  the  pitch  circles 
will  touch  and  the  spur-pinion  shaft  will  be  parallel  with  the 
spur-wheel  shaft. 

Caution  Concerning  the  Bull-Pinion  Boxes.  The  bull- 
pinion  boxes,  8ij4W  and  8i^W,  have  flanges  which  hook 
over  the  outside  of  the  main  frame,  thus  preventing  them 
from  crowding  toward  the  center.  When  these  boxes  have 
been  removed,  care  must  be  taken  in  replacing  them  to  insure 
these  flanges  hooking  over  the  outside  of  the  frame,  for  if 
they  be  placed  too  far  toward  the  center  of  the  power,  these 
flanges  may  come  in  contact  with  the  box  seat  and  prevent 


HOUSE- t'oWERS.  113 

the  bull-pinions  from  meshing  as  deeply  as  they  should  with 
the  bull-wheel.  To  prevent  their  getting  loose,  the  large 
set-screws  are  locked  by  means  of  small  set-screws,  which 
bear  against  their  threads. 

Removing  the  Shafts.  To  take  out  the  spur-wheel  shaft, 
remove  the  four  bolts  that  secure  the  cross-pieces  to  the 
main  frame,  and  drop  them,  together  with  the  spur-pinion 
frame,  to  the  ground.  Next  remove  the  four  bolts  securing 
the  bull-pinion  boxes  and  those  securing  the  center  boxes, 
after  which  the  spur-wheel  shaft  may  be  taken  out  without 
disturbing  the  gears  keyed  to  it.  The  short  bull-pinion 
shafts  have  trunnion-boxes  at  their  inner  ends,  which  permit 
movement  sufficient  to  allow  the  shafts  to  be  removed.  It 
is  necessary  to  remove  the  wood  piece  with  slide  attached, 
which  is  on  the  rear  axle. 

Reversing  the  Gearing.  The  bull-wheel  may  be  turned 
over,  the  short  shafts  interchanged  and  the  spur-wheel  shaft 
reversed,  (end  for  end),  so  that  the  teeth  of  all  the  gearing 
may  be  worn  on  both  their  faces. 

Reverse  Motion  of  Tumbling-Rods.  The  direction  in 
which  the  tumbling-rods  revolve  may  be  reversed  so  that 
they  turn  in  the  same  direction  as  that  in  .which  the  horses 
walk,  instead  of  turning,  as  usual,  in  the  opposite  direction. 
When  reverse  motion  is  necessary  for  driving  machinery 
other  than  "Case"  separators,  proceed  to  attach  the  parts 
as  follows :  First,  bore  a  one  and  one-half  inch  hole  in  rear 
axle,  two  and  three-eighths  inches  from  its  top  and  five  and 


114  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

one-half  inches  from  the  center  of  the  bolt  holding  the  cast- 
ing, i84W  or  222 W.  Then  bolt  steady-bearing,  IO4W,  on 
the  inside  of  the  axle  with  seven-sixteenths  by  four  and 
three-fourths  inch  bolts.  Next  put  the  knuckle  on  the  spur- 
pinion  shaft  and  connect  it  with  the  short  rod,  OI2SW, 
which  passes  through  the  casting,  IO4W,  and  through  the 
hole  in  the  axle. 

Attaching  Truck-Brake  to  Iron-Frame  Horse-Power. 
Put  the  brake  pipe  under  the  main  frame  with  casting  2ioW, 
face  down  and  on  the  right-hand  side.  The  pipe  is  located 
between  the  two  five-eighths  inch  hooks  and  rear  wheel, 
the  short  ends  of  the  hooks  coming  outside  of  the  iron 
frame.  In  order  to  prevent  the  nuts  from  working  loose, 
the  ends  of  the  hooks  may  be  riveted.  When  this  is  done, 
casting  32  iW  may  be  bolted  on  top  of  the  flange  of  the  main 
frame.  A  hole  to  receive  it  will  be  found  on  the  front  end 
of  the  power  frame.  Next  insert  the  iron  lever  into  its  socket, 
2ioW,  and  tighten  the  set-screws,  which  should  not  be 
tightened  too  much,  or  they  will  cause  unnecessary  strain 
on  casting  2ioW.  Put  the  ratchet  in  casting  232 W  with 
the  hole  down  and  with  the  notches  turned  towards  the 
front.  Then,  put  it  in  the  notch  that  holds  the  brake  from 
the  wheels,  and  bolt  it  to  the  brake  lever  below.  Place  the 
brake-block  casting,  2o8W,  on  the  right  end  of  the  pipe  and 
2ogW  on  the  left;  bring  the  blocks  against  the  wheels  and 
turn  the  set  screws  up  tight;  then  loosen  and  remove,  and 
with  a  file  or  cold  chisel,  flatten  a  place  on  the  pipe  for  the 


HORSE-POWERS.  1 1 5 

set-screws.  This  will  prevent  the  pipe  from  turning  in 
these  castings.  The  pipe  is  countersunk  for  the  set-screws 
in  2ioW,  these  set-screws  being  tightened  at  the  factory. 
The  key  with  straps  should  be  nailed  to  the  driver's  platform. 
This  is  used  to  prevent  the  brake  from  dropping  onto  the 
wheels  when  not  wanted.  The  brake  is  applied  by  the  foot. 
Do  not  press  the  ratchet  down  harder  than  necessary. 

The   Spur-Wheel  and   Bull-Pinion   Shafts.     The   key- 
seats  of  these  shafts  are  cut  in  line  with  each  other  and 
• 

those  in  the  bull-pinions  and  inside-pinions  are  cut  with 
reference  to  one  of  their  teeth  so  that  when  the  pinions  are 
keyed  to  the  shaft,  their  teeth  will  be  in  line.  It  will  be  seen 
that  if  the  shaft  has  been  twisted  so  that  the  teeth  of  the 
pinions  are  even  slightly  out  of  line,  the  power  cannot  be 
made  to  run  properly.  A  new  spur-wheel  shaft  is  the  only 
remedy  for  such  a  condition. 

Work  Done  by  Horses.  The  sweeps  of  the  twelve-horse 
power  and  smaller  sizes  are  twelve  feet  and  seven  inches 
long,  and  their  ends  move  in  a  circle  the  circumference  of 
which  is  seventy-nine  feet.  The  sweeps  of  the  fourteen- 
horse  power  are  fourteen  feet  long,  and  their  ends  move  in 
a  circle,  the  circumference  of  which  is  eighty-nine  feet. 
Horses  ordinarily  travel  around  the  seventy-nine  foot  circle 
two  and  one-half  times  a  minute,  and  around  the  eighty-nine 
foot  circle  two  and  one-fourth  times  a  minute,  in  either  case 
covering  about  two  and  one- fourth  miles  per  hour.  The  term 
"horse-power"  (the  standard  measure  of  power)  is  defined 


Il6  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

as  the  power  necessary  to  raise  33,000  pounds  one  foot  per 
minute.  A  horse  walks  two  hundred  feet  per  minute  in 
traveling  around  the  eighty-nine  foot  circle  two  and  one- 
quarter  times  per  minute  so  that  to  do  work  equal  to  one 
"horse-power"  it  is  necessary  for  it  to  pull  only  one-hundred 
and  sixty-five  pounds,  which  is  the  quotient  of  33,000  di- 
vided by  200.  This  quotient  does  not  allow  for  the  friction 
of  the  machine. 

The  Number  of  Horses.  When  desired  for  light  work, 
the  regular  twelve-horse  power  with  six  sweeps  may  be  used 
with  only  six  horses  by  tying  up  equalizers  on  the  empty 
sweeps  and  attaching  teams  to  alternate  sweeps,  or  by  hitch- 
ing a  single  horse  to  each  sweep.  In  the  same  manner  any 
of  the  other  sizes  of  horse-powers  may  be  used  with  half 
the  usual  number  of  horses.  Since  different  numbers  of 
sweeps  are  used  the  holes  in  the  bull-wheel  are  marked  with 
dots  so  that  the  brackets  and  end-supports  for  the  sweeps 
may  be  easily  placed  in  their  proper  positions.  One  of  each 
of  these  castings  should  be  first  bolted  to  the  holes  with 
three  dots  near  them  for  this  set  of  holes  is  used  with  any 
number  of  levers.  Bull-wheel  89  W  has  the  dots  at  the  side 
of  the  holes  for  twelve  horses,  inside  of  the  holes  for  ten 
horses,  and  outside  of  the  holes  for  eight  horses.  Bull- 
wheel  loW  has  the  dots  at  the  sides  of  the  holes  for  twelve 
horses,  inside  of  the  holes  for  ten  horses  and  outside  of  the 
holes  for  fourteen  horses. 


HORSE-POWERS. 


117 


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SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


PARTS  USED  ON  IRON  AND  WOOD  FRAME  POWERS. 


8  and  10 
Horse  Size. 

12  and  14 
Horse  Size. 

Iron  or 
Wood 
Frames 

NAMK  OF  PART. 

4^W 

4^W 

Wood 

Spur-pinion. 

212      W 

212      W 

Iron 

Spur-pinion. 

0122      W 

0122      W 

Both 

Spur-pinion  shaft. 

89    W 

10      W 

Both 

Bull-wheel. 

2      W 

15   w 

Both 

Bull-pinion. 

90    W 

16    W 

Both 

Inside-pinion. 

0121      W 

0121      W 

Both 

Inside-pinion  shaft. 

3    W 

43     W 

Both 

Spur-wheel. 

0123    W 

0124     W 

Both 

Spur-wheel  shaft. 

8i#W 

45    W 

Both 

Half  bull-pinion  box. 

8i>£W 

45^W 

Both 

Other  half  bull-pinion  box  . 

220      W 

182     W 

Iron 

Cast  frame  for  power. 

121      W 

183     W 

Iron 

Rear-axle  bracket,  R.  H. 

122      W 

185     W 

Iron 

Rear-axle  bracket,  L.  H. 

227     W 

187     W 

Iron 

Top  cap  for  bull-pinion  box. 

188    W 

188    W 

Iron 

Top  slide  holder. 

189    W 

189    W 

Iron 

Top  slide  for  bull-wheel. 

190    W 

190    W 

Iron 

Bottom  cap  for  bull-pinion  box, 

225     W 

191     W 

Iron 

Center-box  for  spur-wheel  shaft,  R.  H. 

193    W 

193    W 

Iron 

Inside  trunnion  DOX  for  shaft. 

218    W 
219    W 
197     W 

218    W 
219    W 
197     W 

Iron 
Iron 
Iron 

Front  support  for  spur-gear  frame. 
Rear  support  for  spur-gear  frame. 
Support  for  short  shaft,  center-box,  L.  H. 

199    W 

199    W 

Iron 

Support  for  short  shaft,  center-box,  R.  H. 

229    W 

202      W 

Iron 

Support  for  bull-wheel  slide,  Rear. 

230    W 

203     W 

Iron 

Support  for  bull-wheel  slide,  Front. 

204    W 

204    W 

Iron 

Slide  under  bull-wheel. 

214    W 

214    W 

Iron 

Spur-gear  frame. 

215     W 

215     W 

Iron 

Cap  for  spur-gear  frame. 

216    W 

216    W 

Iron 

Brake-  wheel. 

217     W 

217     W 

Iron 

Collar  on  spur-piniori  shaft. 

55     W 

'   12      W 

Wood 

Back  support. 

56  w 

13   w 

Wood 

Front  Support. 

19    W 

19    W 

Wooa 

Support  for  center-box.  ~ 

20      W 

40    W 

Wood 

Center-box  for  spur-wheel  shaft. 

48    W 

48    W 

Wood 

Cap  for  spur-gear  frame. 

49    W 

49    W 

Wood 

Back  Stirrup  for  spur-gear  frame. 

50  w 

50  w 

Wood 

Front  Stirrup  for  spur-gear  frame. 

52   w 

52   w 

Wood 

Spur-gear  frame. 

75    W 

75     W 

Wood 

Arch  frame. 

76^W 
78    W 

76^W 
78    W 

Wood 
Wood 

Inside-box,  inside-pinion  shaft. 
Cap  to  hold  bull-pinion  box. 

82     W 

82    W 

Wood 

Slide  under  bull-  wheel. 

163     X 

163    X 

Wood 

Brake-wheel. 

PART  II.    SEPARATORS. 


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CHAPTER  I. 

FITTING   UP   AND    STARTING   A    NEW 
SEPARATOR. 

OME  separators  are  shipped  from  the  factory 
"set-up"  with  pulleys  and  all  parts  put  on  and 
all  attachments  in  place.  Others,  for  com- 
pactness, are  shipped  as  they  are  stored,  with 
tailings-elevator  removed  and  tied  on  the  deck, 
pulleys  and  other  parts  packed  inside  the  ma- 
chine, and  the  attachments  "knock-down" — 
that  is,  taken  apart  and  small  parts  boxed.  For  ocean  ship- 
ment, separators  are  taken  apart  so  that  all  parts  may  be 
boxed. 

Setting  Up.  In  setting  up  a  dismantled  separator,  care 
should  be  taken  to  see  that  all  nuts  and  keys  are  properly 
tightened.  The  pulleys  must  be  set  in  line  to  insure  the  belts 
running  properly.  The  cuts  showing  belting  arrangement 
will  aid  in  placing  the  pulleys  in  their  proper  position. 
If  the  box  of  parts  contains  a  list  of  its  contents, 
the  names  and  numbers  will  also  help  in  determining 
the  position  of  each.  The  crank-shaft  which  drives  the 
straw-rack  and  conveyor  should  be  put  in  with  the  long  end 
to  the  right. 

Starting  a  New  Separator.     A  new  machine  should  be 


122  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

set  up  and  run  a  couple  of  hours,  before  attempting  to 
thresh  any  grain.  Look  into  the  machine  on  the  straw  rack, 
conveyor  and  fans,  and  then  turn  each  shaft  by  hand  a  few 
revolutions  to  make  sure  there  is  nothing  loose  or  misplaced 
in  the  machine,  before  putting  on  the  belts. 

Oiling.  The  oil  boxes  should  be  carefully  cleaned  of 
cinders  and  dirt  that  may  have  collected  during  shipment, 
and  the  paint  removed  from  the  oil  holes.  Screw  down  the 
plugs  of  the  grease  cups  on  beater,  fan  and  crank  boxes  to 
the  end  of  the  threads,  using  a  wrench,  if  necessary,  to  clean 
off  the  paint.  Fill  the  grease  cups  on  beater,  fan  and  crank 
boxes  with  hard  oil  and  fill  oil  cups  on  cylinder  boxes  with 
a  good  lubricating  oil.  It  is  best  to  first  place  a  small  quan- 
tity of  wool  or  cotton  waste  in  the  bottom  of  each  oil-cup. 
Connect  the  separator  with  engine  or  other  power,  running 
only  the  cylinder  for  a  time,  and  feeling  of  the  boxes  to  ascer- 
tain whether  they  show  any  tendency  to  heat.  While  the 
cylinder  is  running,  oil  both  ends  of  the  crank  pitmans,  the 
four  bearings  of  the  rock  shafts  and  the  two  of  the  tailer 
rock  shaft  if  there  be  one.  Take  off  the  tightener  pulley  from 
its  spindle,  clean  the  oil  chambers  and  oil  the  spindle  before 
replacing  it.  Put  on  the  belt  driving  beater  and  crank  (see 
cut  page  170),  which  will  put  the  beater,  straw  rack  and 
conveyor  in  motion.  Next  oil  the  shoe-pitman  eccentrics  and 
the  bearings  of  the  shoe  shaft  if  there  be  one.  ^  This  shaft  is 
driven  from  the  fan  on  right  side  of  machine  (see  cut  page 
176).  The  fan  belt,  which  runs  over  crank  belt,  but 


FITTING   UP   AND   STARTING  A    NEW    SEPARATOR.          123 
* 

not  under  tightener*  (see  cut  page  1 70),  and  the  shoe  belt 
may  be  now  run  on.  Oil  the  moving  parts  as  they  run, 
occasionally  screwing  down  the  grease  plugs  on  crank-  and 
fan-shaft  boxes.  The  chain  of  the  tailings  elevator  should 
be  adjusted  so  that  it  has  slack  enough  to  turn  freely,  but 
not  enough  to  allow  it  to  kink  or  unhook.  After  oiling  the 
upper  boxes  and  both  bearings  of  the  tailings  auger  and  the 
four  of  the  tailings  conveyor,  run  on  the  elevator  belt,  which 
drives  from  the  crank,  crossed,  (see  cut  page  128).  Oil  the 
bearings  of  the  grain  auger  and  put  on  its  belt.  Where  no 
grain  elevator  is  used,  this  belt  will  go  on  either  side  of  the 
machine,  so  that  it  may  always  be  on' the  opposite  side  to 
that  from  which  the  grain  is  taken. 

When  all  parts  of  the  separator  are  in  motion  the  bear- 
ings should  be  carefully  watched  to  detect  any  tendency  to 
heat,  and  this  can  best  be  done  when  the  machine  is  running 
empty,  for  the  operator  can  then  give  it  his  entire  attention. 
The  machine  has  been  tested  and  left  the  factory  in  good 
running  order,  but  dirt  and  grit  of  shipment  by  rail  is  liable 
to  cause  trouble  and  it  is  best  to  make  sure  that  all  the  bear- 
ings are  oiled.  It  is  of  great  importance  tHat  these  bearings 
be  well  oiled  on  the  first  run,  as  they  are  somewhat  rough, 
and  consequently  require  more  oil  and  a  longer  time  for  it 
to  spread  over  the  journals.  Oiling  a  shaft  as  it  runs,  allows 
the  oil  to  work  in  and  be  distributed  over  the  whole  bearing 
surface. 

When  the  machine  has  run  for  an  hour  or  so  and  every- 


124  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

thing  shown  to  be  in  good  order,  it  is  ready  for  threshing. 
After  adjusting  the  concaves,  check  board,  sieves  and  blinds, 
to  suit  the  kind  and  condition  of  grain,  according  to  the 
directions  given  elsewhere  in  this  book,  grain  may  be  run 
through  the  machine. 


CHAPTER  II. 
SETTING   THE    SEPARATOR. 

,  HE  separator  may  do  good  work  if  the  rear 
truck  wheels  be  a  few  inches  higher  or  lower 
than  the  front  wheels,  but  it  must  always  be 
level  crossways.  Use  a  spirit  level  of  good 
length  on  the  rear  axle  and  on  the  sills.  A 
little  practice  or  calculation  will  enable  one 
to  determine  how  deep  a  hole  to  dig  in  front 
of  the  high  wheel  in  order  to  bring  the  machine  level  when 
pulled  into  it.  Knowing  the  axles  of  the  separator  to  be 
about  twelve  feet  apart,  it  is  easy  to  calculate  how  much  the 
front  or  rear  wheels  must  be  lowered  to  bring  the  machine 
level.  For  example,  if  a  spirit  level  two  feet*  in  length  be 
used  and  when  placed  on  the  sill  of  machine  its  front  end 
must  be  raised  one-half  inch  to  bring  it  level,  then  the  rear 
wheels  must  be  lowered  six  times  as  much,  or  three  inches, 
to  bring  separator  level.  This  method  may  also  be  used  in 
determining  the  amount  to  lower  one  rear  wheel  to  bring 
machine  level  crossways,  which,  as  already  stated,  is  more 
important  than  having  it  level  lengthways.  In  this  case, 
however,  the  amount  is  different  for  each  size  of  separator. 


*In  this  case  the  distance  between  axles  (twelve  feet),  is  just  six 
times  the  length  of  the  lever,  (two  feet). 


125 


126  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

The  hole  or  holes  should  be  dug  before  the  engine  is  un- 
coupled or  the  team  unhitched,  so  that  if  not  level,  machine 
may  be  pulled  out,  the  holes  changed  and  the  machine  backed 
into  them.  When  the  machine  is  high  in  front,  it  can  be 
quickly  leveled,  after  engine  or  team  has  been  removed,  by 
cramping  the  front  axle,  digging  iri  front  of  one  wheel  and 
behind  the  other,  so  that  wheels  will  drop  into  the  holes 
when  pole  is  brought  around  square. 

With  geared  machines  "bolster- jacks"  are  used  to  keep 
the  "side-gear"  from  twisting  front  end  of  machine  out  of 
level.  The  hind  axle  being  level,  place  the  bolster-jacks  in 
position,  and  screw  them  up  so  as  to  level  the  front  of  ma- 
chine. It  is  not  necessary  to  have  the  front  axle  level,  as 
the  bolster- jacks  will  accommodate  themselves  to  it. 

Place  a  block  in  front  of  the  right  hind  wheel  to  prevent 
the  machine  from  being  drawn  forward  by  the  belt.  This 
block  should  be  carried  with  the  machine,  so  as  to  be  handy 
when  needed. 

When  pulling  the  machine  out  of  holes,  starting  it  on 
soft  ground  or  on  a  hill,  cramp  the  team  around  to  one  side, 
and  it  will  move  the  load  with  about  half  the  effort  necessary 
to  start  straight  ahead.  In  cramping  the  front  axle,  but  one 
of  the  hind  wheels  starts  at  a  time. 

Setting  with  Reference  to  the  Wind.  The  thresherman 
cannot  always  choose  the  direction  in  which  to  set  the  ma- 
chine, but  when  he  can,  he  should  select  a  position -in  which 
the  wind  will  be  blowing  in  the  same  general  directions  as 


SETTING  THE  SEPARATOR.  127 

that  in  which  the  straw  is  moving,  and  preferably  a  little 
"quartering,"  as  this  keeps  the  men  out  of  the  dust  more 
than  when  set  straight  with  the  wind.  This  position  insures 
greater  safety  from  fire  in  case  wood  or  straw  is  used  as  fuel. 


128 


SCIENCE    OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


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n  drive  pulley,  46",  steel  and 
n  drive  pulley.  5o"  and  up,  s 
ey  drives  common  stacker, 
r  pulley. 
Ley  on  common  stacker  shaft 
ey  drives  tailings  elevator, 
ey  on  tailings  elevator  shaft 
ey  drives  grain  auger, 
ley  on  grain  auger  shaft. 
ley  drives  shoe  shake,  50"  an 
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CHAPTER  III. 
THE  CYLINDER,  CONCAVES  AND  BEATER. 

T  is  the  function  of  the  cylinder  and  concaves 
to  loosen  the  kernels  of  grain  from  the  straw 
on  which  they  grew.  The  ends  of  the  cylin- 
der teeth  travel  about  a  mile  a  minute  so  that 
the  grain  in  going  through  meets  the  con- 
cave teeth  with  considerable  force.  The  con- 
cave teeth  engage  with  the  cylinder  teeth  in 
such  a  way  that  the  grain  heads  cannot  pass  through  with- 
out being  broken  and  the  kernels  knocked  out  although  the 
straw  is  in  contact  with  the  cylinder  but  a  fraction  of  a 
second.  If  the  teeth  be  in  good  condition  and  a  sufficient 
number  of  rows  of  concave  teeth  be  used  to  suit  the  work, 
practically  all  of  the  grain  will  be  knocked  out. 

Cylinder  Teeth.  When  the  cylinder  is  new  or  newly  re- 
filled, care  should  be  taken  to  keep  the  teeth  tight  until  they 
become  fitted  to  their  holes  and  firmly  seated.  The  cylinder 
should  be  gone  over  occasionally  during  the  first  week,  and 
each  tooth  driven  in  hard  with  a  heavy  hammer  and  the 
nuts  tightened.  If  this  be  done,  ordinarily  the  teeth  will 
give  no  further  trouble,  but  if  at  any  time  they  show  a  ten- 
dency to  get  loose,  they  should  be  carefully  watched.  At 

the  factory  the  teeth  are  driven  in  and  tightened  with  a  long 

129 


130  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

handled  auger  wrench  arid  then  driven  in  and  tightened 
again,  but  they  are  liable  to  get  loose  the  first  few  days  unless 
special  attention  be  paid  them.  If  a  tooth  be  allowed  to  re- 
main loose  for  any  length  of  time  the  hole  will  become  so 
misshapen  that  the  tooth  cannot  be  kept  tight  thereafter.  The 
teeth  should  be  kept  straight,  not  only  so  they  will  not 
strike,  but  also  so  that  they  will  pass  at  equal  distances  from 
the  concave  teeth  on  both  sides. 

•  Cylinder  Speed.  It  is  very  important  that  the  cylinder 
run  at  the  proper  speed.  If  run  too  fast,  there  is  danger  of 
cracking  the  grain,  and  if  run  too  slowly,  it  will  not  thresh 
clean.  Then,  too,  the  work  of  separation  and  cleaning  is 
very  much  easier  if  the  cylinder  runs  at  the  proper  speed 
and  is  never  allowed  to  get  below  it.  The  motion  must  be 
uniform  if  the  best  results  be  expected,  for  every  time  it  is 
allowed  to  get  much  below  or  above  the  correct  speed,  the 
separator  will  waste  grain.  With  the  regular  pulleys,  the 
large  2O-bar  cylinder  of  the  Qase  separator  should  run  at 
750  revolutions  per  minute  to  give  the  proper  speed  to  the 
other  parts  of  the  machine.  The  regular  speed  of  the  small 
or  12-bar  cylinder  is  1075  revolutions  per  minute.  In  thresh- 
ing tough  rye  or  oats,  the  cylinder  is  subjected  to  more  work, 
and  often  runs  too  slowly  if  attempt  be  made  to  maintain 
the  normal  speed,  therefore,  the  cylinder  should  run  faster 
than  usual,  say,  800  for  the  2O-bar  and  1150  for  the  12-bar, 
in  order  that  the  other  parts  of  the  machine  may  run  up  to 
their  usual  speed.  Some  grains  and  legumes  require  special 


THE  CYLINDER,  CONCAVES  AND  BEATER. 


cylinder   speed   for  which  a  change   in   cylinder  pulleys   is 
usually  made.    These  are  given  elsewhere  in  this  book. 
MAIN  CYLINDER  PULLEYS. 


Number. 

Diameter. 

Face. 

Bore. 

MACHINE, 

5564? 

6    ' 

9    " 

I#  " 

12-Bar  Wood. 

761  T 

7*r 

8     " 

iH" 

12-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5oiT 

w 

8     " 

I/S" 

12-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

501  ^T 

8jr 

8     " 

17/8" 

12-Bar  Wood. 

i867T 

w 

8    " 

iVie" 

12-Bar  Wood. 

86iT 

8#' 

8     " 

iH" 

12-Bar  Steel  or  Wood, 

50Q4T 

9*' 

9    " 

is/s" 

12-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

SoosT 

9*' 

9    " 

l%" 

12-Bar  Wood. 

5oo6T 

9#' 

9    ' 

*y*" 

12-Bar  Wood. 

5ooT 

93A' 

8     "• 

!#>' 

12-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

505  iT 

io#' 

9 

!%" 

12-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5952? 

io#' 

9     ' 

17/8   " 

12-Bar  Wood. 

5053? 

ioX' 

9    ' 

2^  " 

12-Bar  Wood. 

544iT 

10      ' 

9X" 

27/10// 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5367T 

lift' 

V/*" 

27/lti// 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5368T 

12      ' 

91A" 

2^6" 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5294? 

!$%' 

9    " 

a%§'* 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

A5294T 

HW 

91A" 

27/ie" 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

544oT 

15^' 

9^r 

«%<' 

20-  Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5369? 

16    ' 

9%" 

a  vie'' 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

5372T 

26    ' 

9    " 

27/lo" 

2o-Bar  Steel  or  Wood. 

Ascertaining  Cylinder  Speed.  The  best  way  to  as- 
certain the  speed  is  by  means  of  a  revolution  counter, 
but  if  one  be  not  at  hand,  the  speed  may  be  found 
by  counting  the  number  of  times  the  main  drive  belt 
goes  around  in  a  minute.  To  do  this,  multiply  the  re- 
quired speed  of  the  cylinder  by  the  circumference  of  the 
cylinder  pulley  in  inches  and  divide  by  12  to  reduce  to  feet. 
Dividing  by  the  length  of  the  belt  in  feet  will  give  the  re- 
quired number  of  times  belt  should  go  around  in  a  minute. 
For  example :  If  cylinder  be  a  2O-bar,  its  speed  should  be 


132  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

750  and  the  regular  pulley  5294/1  for  this  is  13^  inches  in 
diameter  or  42  inches  in  circumference.  Multiplying  750  by 
42  gives  31,500  inches  as  the  product.  Dividing  this  by  12 
to  reduce  to  feet  gives  2625  feet  per  minute  as  the  required 
travel  of  the  belt.  If  this  be  120  feet  long,  dividing  by  120 
gives  22  (nearly)  as  the  required  number  of  rounds  of  the 
belt  per  minute.  With  a  150  foot  belt,  the  number  of  rounds 
will  be  nearly  18  or  vdth  160  foot  belt  17  (nearly) 
rounds.  In  the  same  manner,  the  required  number  of  rounds 
can  be  figured  for  any  cylinder  speed,  cylinder  pulley  or 
length  of  belt. 

Cylinder  Boxes.  The  cylinder  boxes  are  the  most  im- 
portant bearings  on  a  separator  and  they  must  receive  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  attention  or  there  will  be  trouble.  All  Case 
20  bar  cylinders  are  fitted  with  ball  and  socket  boxes,  which 
practically  eliminate  all  possibility  of  their  heating  from 
improper  alignment.  The  boxes  are  eight  inches  long,  allow- 
ing a  good  bearing  surface  for  these  large  cylinders  and  are 
fitted  with  oil  cups  which  hold  a  sufficient  quantity  of  oil  to 
amply  lubricate  the  bearings.  The  12  bar  cylinders  of  the 
steel  separators  also  have  ball  and  socket  or  "self-aligning" 
boxes.  The  chapter  on  "Lubrication  and  Hot  Boxes"  should 
be  read  with  special  reference  to  the  cylinder  boxes. 

To  Take  "End  Play"  Out  of  the  Cylinder.  Loosen  lower- 
half  of  housing  of  box  by  slacking  the  nuts  which  secure  it, 
and  slide  it  against  hub  of  cylinder  head.  The  holes  in  the 
ironsides  are  slotted  to  allow  for  this  end  adjustment  and  also 


THE  CYLINDER,   CONCAVES  AND  BEATER.  133 

to  permit  the  moving  of  the  cylinder  in  case  the  cylinder  teeth 
do  not  come  exactly  between  the  concave  teeth.  Do  not 
crowd  cylinder  box  so  hard  against  the  cylinder  head  as  to 
cause  danger  of  heating.  It  is  best  to  leave  about  1/64  of 
an  inch  end  play. 

Tracking  of  Teeth.  All  regular  Case  20  bar  cylinders 
have  five  teeth  which  pass  in  the  same  space  between  the  con- 
cave teeth,  during  one  revolution,  "five  teeth  tracking"  as  it 
is  called.  The  12  bar  cylinders  have  three  teeth  tracking. 
Some  machines  of  other  manufacture  have  two  and  some 
four  teeth  tracking,  and  some  have  irregular  spacing,  as,  for 
example,  three  and  six  alternating.  The  effect  of  this  latter 
arrangement  is  to  take  twice  as  much  straw  through  some 
concave  spaces  as  through  others. 

Cracking  Grain.  The  cut  on  the  following  page  is  full 
size  and  shows  the  actual  distance  between  tjie  concave  and 
cylinder  teeth  of  our  regular  cylinder.  It  is  shown  to  em- 
phasize the  importance  of  having  the  cylinder  properly  ad- 
justed endwise  and  of  keeping  the  teeth  straight.  Supposing 
all  the  teeth  to  be  straight  and  that  the  cylinder  be  moved 
1/16  of  an  inch  to  one  end.  Then  instead  of  there  being  1/8 
of  an  inch  space  between  the  cylinder  and  concave  teeth  on 
both  sides,  the  cylinder  teeth  would  be  3/16  of  an  inch  from 
the  concave  teeth  on  one  side  and  only  1/16  of  an  inch  from 
them  on  the  other.  This  condition  of  affairs  would  allow 
the  heads  to  slip  through  without  being  threshed  on  one  side 
of  the  teeth  and  on  the  other  would  crack  the  grain  and  cut 


134  •       SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


CYLINDER  BAR] 


FIG.   39.      CUT  SHOWING  SPACE  BETWEEN   CYLINDER  AND 
CONCAVE  TEETH — FULL  SIZE. 


THE  CYLINDER,    CONCAVES  AND  BEATER.  135 

up  the  straw,  thereby  consuming  much  power,  increasing 
the  difficulties  of  separation  and  making  the  sieves  handle  a 
large  amount  of  chaff.  This  same  condition  exists  when 
all  of  the  teeth  are  more  or  less  bent.  The  cylinder  may  be 
moved  endwise,  as  already  explained,  to  give  the  proper 
spaces  between  the  teeth,  but  the  teeth  must  be  kept  straight. 

Special  Cylinders.  To  do  good  work  in  rice  a  special 
cylinder  and  concave  are  required  with  a  wider  spacing  of  the 
teeth  than  the  regular  ones.  This  gives  more  clearance  be- 
tween the  cylinder  and  concave  teeth  and,  together  with  a 
reduced  speed,  prevents  the  cylinder  from  cracking  the  rice. 
A  special  cylinder  and  concaves  are  also  made  for  threshing 
peas  and  beans.  Either  of  these  special  cylinders  may  be 
put  in  any  Case  separator  by  making  the  complete  change 
in  cylinder,  concaves  and' concave  circles.  Further  informa- 
tion regarding  threshing  rice,  peas,  beans,  etc.,  is  given  else- 
where in  this  book. 

Balancing  Cylinders.  On  account  of  the  high  speed  at 
which  cylinders  run,  they  must  be  accurately  balanced  or 
they  will  not  run  smoothly.  It  is  essential  in  balancing  a  cyl- 
inder that  the  weights  used  for  this  purpose  be  placed  where 
the  deficiency  of  weight  exists.  The  shop  practice  is  to  rest 
the  journals  of  a  cylinder  on  level  ways  and  put  weights 
under  center  bands  until  the  cylinder  will  stand  at  any 
point  on  the  ways.  The  cylinder  is  then  put  in  a  frame 
having  narrow,  loosely  fitting  wooden  boxes  and  run  at 
about  1 200  revolutions  per  minute.  The  parts  of  the  jour- 


136  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

nals  extending  beyond  the  boxes  are  marked  as  it  runs. 
These  marks  show  the  initiated  at  which  end  and  at  what 
point  to  drive  the  weights  used  in  the  final  balancing.  A 
cylinder  may  be  balanced,  though  not  as  perfectly  as  is  done 
at  the  factory,  by  resting  it  on  ways  made  by  placing  two 
carpenter's  squares  on  wooden  horses.  The  squares  should 
have  blocks  nailed  on  each  side  to  keep  them  on  edge,  and 
should  be  carefully  leveled  both  ways.  Place  the  cylinder 
near  the  center  of  the  ways  and  roll  it  gently.  Mark  with 
a  piece  of  chalk  the  bar  that  is  uppermost  when  it  comes  to 
rest.  Repeat,  and  if  cylinder  stops  in  the  same  position  three 
times  in  succession,  drive  a  wedge  under  center  band  at  the 
chalk  mark.  Rub  off  the  marks  and  repeat  until  the  cylin- 
der comes  to  rest  at  any  point.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to 
mar  the  journals  in  placing  them  on  the  ways. 

The  Concaves.  All  that  has  been  said  about  keeping  the 
cylinder  teeth  tight  applies  also  to  the  concave  teeth.  They 
should  be  driven  in  and  tightened  as  often  as  necessary, 
until  they  are  firmly  seated.  In  driving  them  in,  it  is  neces- 
sary, however,  to  use  some  judgment,  for  as  the  concaves 
are  of  cast  iron,  they  are  liable  to  split  if  the  teeth  are  driven 
in  too  hard. 

Setting  the  Concaves.  The  concaves  should  be  adjusted 
to  suit  the  kind  and  condition  of  grain.  Four  rows  of  teeth 
are  usually  required  for  wheat  and  barley,  but  for  damp 
grain  six  rows  will  be  necessary.  Rye  can  usually  be 
threshed  with  two  rows,  but  the  cylinder  speed  should  be 


THE  CYLINDER,    CONCAVES  AND  BEATER.  137 

higher  than  for  wheat.  Oats  when  dry  can  generally  be 
threshed  with  two  rows  of  teeth,  but  flax  and  timothy  will 
require  six  rows.  Where  four  are  used,  they  are  most 
effective  if  one  concave  be  placed  clear  back  and  one  in  front 
with  a  blank  in  the  center.  In  hand  feeding,  if  the  straw 
be  dry  and  brittle,  the  cylinder  can  be  given  more  "draw" 
by  placing  a  blank  in  front.  Always  use  as  few  teeth,  and 
leave  them  as  low  as  is  possible  and  thresh  clean.  When 
more  teeth  than  are  required  are  used,  or  when  they  are  left 
higher  than  is  necessary,  the  straw  will  be  cut  up,  and,  be- 
sides using  more  power,  the  separation  is  made  much  more 
difficult,  and  the  sieves  are  obliged  to  handle  an  unnecessarily 
large  amount  of  chopped  straw.  It  is  better  to  use  two  rows 
set  clear  up,  than  four  rows  left  low.  Sometimes  a  row  of 
teeth  is  taken  out  of  a  concave,  making  it  possible  to  use 
one,  three  or  five  rows. 

Special  Concaves.  Some  grains,  as  for  example,  Turkey 
wheat,  are  extremely  difficult  to  thresh  from  the  head,  and 
if  it  be  found  that  the  regular  six  rows  will  not  thresh  clean, 
a  three-row  concave,  filled  with  corrugated  teeth,  should  be 
procured.  This,  with  two  regular  concaves,  will  give  seven 
rows  of  teeth.  Should  it  be  necessary,  two,  or  even  three, 
three-row  concaves  of  corrugated  teeth  may  be  used.  The 
three-row  concaves  of  corrugated  teeth  are  usually  used  for 
threshing  alfalfa,  but  for  clover,  the  special  clover  concaves 
are  necessary.  Information  concerning  them  is  given  else- 
where in  this  book. 


138  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

Adjustment  of  Concaves.  In  the  left  side  of  the  "iron- 
sides," or  cylinder  side  castings,  of  the  wood  12  bar  sep- 
arator, there  are  thumbscrews,  which  press  against  the  con- 
cave circle  and  take  up  the  end  play  of  the  concaves.  The 
steel  and  20  bar  wood  machines  have  set  screws  in  both 
ironsides.  When  it  is  desired  to  change  the  concaves,  raise 
them  up  and  drop  them  down  a  few  times  to  jar  out  the 
dust  and  dirt  which  has  become  lodged  between  concave 
circles  and  ironsides,  wedging  them  tight.  With  concaves 
in  their  lowest  position,  place  a  stick  of  wood,  the  tooth 
straightener,  or  anything  else  that  may  be  handy,  between 
concave  and  cylinder  teeth  and  raise  the  concaves  so  that 
the  teeth  cannot  pass.  Then  roll  the  cylinder  backward, 
striking  the  concaves  several  times  with  the  momentum  of 
the  cylinder  if  necessary,  until  they  are  jarred  loose  and  come 
up  with  the  cylinder,  as  it  is  rolled  backward  by  hand.  The 
thumb-screws  mentioned  above  may  be  loosened  if  necessary, 
but  if  they  be,  it  should  be  done  on  one  side  only  so  as  not 
to  disturb  the  adjustment. 

Caution.  When  the  separator  is  belted  to  an  engine  one 
should  make  sure  that  the  engineer  has  closed  the  throttle 
and  opened  the  cylinder  cocks  before  changing  concaves, 
fixing  teeth  or  otherwise  handling  the  separator  cylinder. 

The  Beater.  In  threshing  very  heavy,  tough  grain,  if  the 
straw  be  inclined  to  wrap  the  beater  or  if  it  tends  to  follow 
the  cylinder  around  too  far,  the  beater  may  be  raised  by  tak- 
ing out  the  blocks  from  between  the  beater  boxes  and  the 


THE  CYLINDER,    CONCAVES  AND  BEATER.  139 

girt  to  which  they  are  fastened  on  wood  separators  or  by 
moving  the  girts  to  the  upper  holes  on  steel  machines.  There 
is  also  provision  in  the  girts  for  moving  the  beater  back  to 
give  more  room  between  beater  and  cross-piece,  but  it  is 
very  seldom  necessary  to  move  it.  The  speed  of  the  beater 
is  four  hundred  revolutions  per  minute  and  as  its  bearings 
are  provided  with  hard  oil  cups,  a  little  attention  will  keep 
them  in  good  running  order. 

The  Grates.  A  large  percentage  of  the  grain  is  separated 
from  the  straw  by  the  grates  through  which  it  is  thrown  with 
all  the  force  acquired  from  the  cylinder.  The  grate  under 
the  beater  is  adjustable  and  should  usually  be  kept  as  high 
as  possible  for  the  separation  is  better  when  it  is  high.  It 
should  never  be  lowered  unless  absolutely  necessary. 

The  Check  Board  should  usually  be  kept  quite  low  to  pre- 
vent the  grain  from  being  thrown  to  the  rear  of  the  machine 
on  top  of  the  straw,  where  it  might  be  carried  out  of  the 
machine  without  being  separated.  In  damp  grain  'and  es- 
pecially damp  rye  or  oats  the  check  board  should  be  raised 
to  allow  the  straw  to  pass  freely  through  the  machine,  for  if 
left  down,  it  will  retard  the  straw  too  much,  and  may  cause 
the  cylinder  to  wind. 


140 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


.2 


C^j  e'C  eT  g'C 

3  O-O  0^3  O'O 


8&£s*£%8S; 

4 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  STRAW-RACK  AND   CONVEYOR. 

,  HE  straw-rack  and  conveyor  are  both  carried 
by  studs  on  the  rocker  or  "vibrating"  arms, 
the  straw-rack  having  a  longer  leverage  than 
the  conveyor,  so  that  each  counterbalances 
the  other.     They  are  more  accurately  bal- 
anced when  the  machine  is  in  operation  and 
both  are  loaded  than  when  the  machine  is 
running  empty.     It  is  very  difficult  to  sep- 
arate grain  from  straw  that  is  badly  cut   up,  therefore  care 
should  be  taken  to  use  as  few  rows  of  concave  teeth  as  will 
thresh  clean  from  the  heads. 

Speed.  The  most  important  factor  in  producing  good 
work  by  the  straw-rack  is  the  speed.  To  do  good  work, 
it  must  make  230  vibrations  per  minute.  Its  speed  can 
best  be  determined  by  using  a  revolution-counter  on  the 
crank  shaft.  Some,  although  not  all,  persons  can  determine 
the  speed  by  letting  one  of  the  pitmans  or  a  key  of  one  of  the 
crank  shaft  pulleys  strike  one  hand  once  every  revolution, 
while  holding  a  watch  in  the  other  hand  and  counting  for  a 
half  or  a  full  minute.  The  proper  speed  is  as  essential  to 
good  work  by  the  conveyor  sieve  or  "chaffer"  as  by  the 
straw-rack;  if  too  fast,  grain  will  go  over  the  sieve  with 
the  chaff,  and  if  too  slow  the  sieve  will  be  overloaded. 

The  present  style  of  straw-rack  has  riser  supports,  which 

141 


142  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

prevent  the  risers  from  sagging  in  the  middle.  (See  cut, 
page  120).  Fish-backs  are  nailed  to  the  straw-rack  risers, 
two  on  the  second  riser  (from  the  front),  three  on  the  third 
and  four  on  the  fourth.  The  straw-rack  ordinarily  does  good 
work  without  the  fish-backs,  but  in  cases  where  the  separa- 
tion is  very  difficult,  they  will  aid  materially. 

A  Special  Strazv-Rack  called  the  "Oregon"  straw-rack  is 
made  for  use  where  the  straw  is  badly  cut  up  or  so  short 
owing  to  the  grain  being  headed  that  most  of  it  passes 
through  the  regular  rack.  Parts  can  be  furnished  for  making 
an  Oregon  rack  of  the  regular  one. 

Pounding.  The  crank-boxes  and  pitmans  should  be  kept 
adjusted  so  that  the  machine  does  not  make  a  knocking  or 
pounding  noise.  The  maple  boxes  on  the  straw-rack  and 
conveyor  are  inexpensive  and  should  be  replaced  when  worn 
out.  The  pitmans  shorten  as  they  wear,  and  this,  with  the 
wear  of  the  crank  boxes,  sometimes  allows  the  rear  vibrating 
arms  to  drop  nearly  to  their  dead-centers.  This  causes  the 
machine  to  run  hard,  pound  badly,  and  often  breaks  the  vi- 
brating arms.  The  rear  vibrating1  arms  may  be  prevented 
from  dropping  too  low  in  three  ways :  first,  if  the  frame  be 
of  wood,  the  crank  boxes  may  be  moved  forward  by  putting 
leather  between  them  and  the  post;  second,  by  lengthening 
pitmans  by  putting  leather  over  worn  surface  at  ends  or  by 
getting  new  and  longer  pitmans;  and  third,  by  moving  the 
rock-shaft  boxes  to  the  rear.  This  last  method  is  the  most 
difficult  and  should  it  be  attempted,  care,  must  be  taken  to 
move  all  the  boxes  exactly  the  same  distance. 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE   CLEANING   APPARATUS. 

,  HE  fan  and  sieves  aided  by  the  tailings  auger 
and  tailings  elevator  separate  the  grain  from 
the  chaff.  It  is  in  the  handling  of  these, 
which  constitute  the  "cleaning  apparatus/' 
more  than  any  other  part  of  the  separator, , 
that  the  skill  of  the  operator  or  separator 
"tender,"  as  he  is  usually  called,  shows  itself 
and  the  local  reputation  of  any  particular  machine  is  largely 
due  to  its  record  as  a  "cleaner." 

The  Fan  Blinds.  The  position  of  the  fan  blinds  regulates 
the  amount  of  wind  or  "blast"  that  the  fan  produces.  These 
should  be  adjusted  to  clean  the  grain  without  blowing  it  over 
and  this  adjustment  can  be  made  while  the  machine  is  run- 
ning. Both  upper  and  lower  blinds  should  be  partly  open. 
The  right  hand  blinds  affect  the  left  side  of  the  sieve  and 
vice  versa;  therefore,  if  grain  is  being  blown  over  on  one 
side,  the  blinds  on  the  opposite  side  should  be  closed  a  little. 
Use  as  much  wind  as  possible  without  blowing  over  grain. 
In  windy  weather  it  is  necessary  to  close  the  blinds  on  the 
windward  side  of  the  machine  more  than  those  on  the  other 
side.  The  blast  is  'retarded  by  the  volume  of  chaff  it  is 
moving,  hence  heavy  feeding,  and  a  blast  that  is  all  right 

143 


144  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

when  the  cylinder  is  kept  full,  will  carry  over  grain  when 
the  machine  runs  empty.  Steady  feeding  is  therefore  impor- 
tant on  this  account  and  the  separator  tender  should  let  the 
pitchers  understand  that  he  cannot  produce  the  best  results 
without  their  aid,  in  keeping  an  even  and  continuous  stream 
of  grain  going  into  the  cylinder. 

The  Wind-Board  is  placed  in  the  machine  so  that  the  blast 
from  the  fan  will  strike  the  conveyor  sieve  about  half  way 
back.  The  strongest  part  of  the  blast  will  then  pass  through 
the  shoe  sieve  near  the  front  end  which  gives  it  a  cleaning 
capacity  its  entire  length.  If  the  wind  board  becomes  bent 
or  sagged  so  that  it  stands  but  little  above  the  floor  of  the 
shoe,  the  grain  will  slide  over  it  into  the  fan,  and  then  be 
thrown  clear  out  of  the  machine.  To  prevent  the  liability 
of  this,  belts  or  "traps"  should  not  be  kept  in  the  fan  drum. 

Fan  Speed.  The  speed  of  the  fan  for  12-bar  separator 
should  be  about  470  and  for  the  2O-bar  about  485  revolutions. 

Sieves.  The  function  of  all  sieves  is  to  assist  the  fan  in 
separating  the  grain  from  the  chaff  and  in  preventing  heads 
and  other  heavy  objects  larger  in  size  than  the  grain  from 
mingling  with  the  clean  grain.  Sieves  are  distinguished  from 
screens  in  that  the  grain  being  cleaned  passes  through  them 
while  it  passes  over  a  screen. 

Adjustable  Sieves.  To  obviate  the  delay  and  trouble  of 
changing  sieves  each  time  the  machine  threshes  a  different 
grain,  adjustable  sieves  have  been  constructed  in  which  the 
size  of  the  openings  may  be  changed  to  suit  the  kind  of  grain 


THE  CLEANING  APPARATUS.  145 

or  seed.  This  adjustment  may  be  made  while  the  machine 
is  running.  All  Case  separators  are  now  regularly  fitted  with 
an  adjustable  conveyor-sieve,  commonly  called  the  "chaffer," 
adjustable  conveyor-extension  and  adjustable  shoe-sieve. 
The  latter  should  be  placed  in  the  shoe  with  the  rear  rod  in 
the  fourth  hole  and  the  front  end  high  enough  to  leave  only 
an  inch  between  it  and  the  heel  board  of  the  shoe. 

The  Conveyor-Extension  or  Chaffer-Extension  carries  the 
coarse  chaff  from  the  conveyor  sieve  to  the  stacker.  The  con- 
veyor sieve  should  be  so  adjusted  as  to  let  all  the  good  grain 
through  because  that  which  goes  to  the  extension  and  drops 
through  it  is  returned  with  the  tailings  to  the  cylinder.  The 
conveyor-extension  should  be  coarser  than  the  conveyor  sieve 
so  as  to  allow  all  the  unthreshed  heads  to  pass  through.  If 
they  pass  over  it  they  are  lost.  The  present  style  of  adjust- 
able conveyor  extension  is  hinged  to  the  rear  of  the  con- 
veyor sieve  and  also  fastened  to  the  conveyor  side-rails.  By 
loosening  the  bolts  which  hold  it  to  the  side  rails  this  exten- 
sion may  be  lifted  out  of  the  way  to  get  at  shoe  sieves. 

Common  Sieves  is  the  name  given  to  non-adjustable 
sieves  and  includes  the  lip,  the  round-hole,  the  oblong-hole 
and  the  woven-wire  sieves. 

Fig.  41  shows  the  nine  positions  or  notches,  in  which  a 
sieve  may  be  placed  at  the  fan  end  of  the  shoe,  and  they 
are  numbered,  beginning  at  the  top.  It  also  shows  the  six 
positions  for  the  rod  at  the  rear  end  and  these  are  also  num- 
bered from  the  top. 


146 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


To  Insert  Common  Sieves  place  a  long  rod  in  the  bottom 
of  slots,  leaving  nuts  loose.  The  rods  at  fan  end  of  sieve 
are  about  il/2  inches  longer  than  those  at  rear  end.  In 
changing  from  one  sieve  to  another  it  is  not  necessary  to 
remove  the  rod  at  fan  end.  Slide  in  the  sieve  and  put  a 
short  rod  in  the  proper  hole  at  rear.  Adjust  sieve  to  proper 


Rear  End 


FIG.   41.       SHOE   SHOWING   POSITIONS   OF   SIEVE   RODS. 

position  at  front  end  and  tighten  the  nuts.  If  two  sieves  are 
to  be  used  put  the  top  one  in  first  with  rod  in  bottom  of  the 
slots.  Raise  it  up  to  proper  position,  then  put  rod  for  lower 
sieve  in  the  slots  and  slide  it  in  below  the  other.  The  rod 
of  upper  sieve  cannot  be  tightened  until  lower  sieve  is  in 
place.  Insert  pins  in  the  holes  to  hold  it  up  while  putting  in 
lower  sieve.  Screw  the  nuts  up  quite  tightly,  but  not  so 
much  as  to  cause  the  sieves  to  buckle.  Twenty-penny  wire 
nails  may  be  used  as  pins  in  adjusting  sieves. 

List  of  Common  Sieves.  The  following  sieves  are  used 
for  many  other  grains  and  seeds  than  those  mentioned,  but 
the  few  given  may  serve  to  identify  and  explain  the  nature 
of  the  sieves. 


THE  CLEANING  APPARATUS.  147 

LIST   OF    COMMON    SIEVES. 

D.  Conveyor  sieve,  2  in.  lip,  shown  below. 

E.  Conveyor  or  oat  sieve,  1)^  in.  lip,  shown  below. 

F.  Oat  sieve,  %  in.  lip,  shown  below. 

G.  Wheat  sieve,  %  in.  lip,  shown  below. 

H  Wheat  sieve,  1%4  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

I.  Flax  sieve,  %s  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

K.  Cheat  screen,  yi&x%  in.  oblong  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

L.  Cheat  screen,  reg.,  ^x^  in.  oblong  hole, shown  on  page  149. 

M.  Timothy  sieve,  I/IQ  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

N.  Clover  or  alfalfa,  %2  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

O.  Cockle  screen,  ^  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

P.  Pea  screen,  sA&x%  in.  oblong  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

Q.  Wheat  sieve,  4)^x4^  mesh  wire,  shown  on  page  149. 

R.  Clover  sieve,  12x12  mesh  wire,  shown  on  page  149. 

T.  Timothy  sieve,  16x16  mesh  wire,  shown  on  page  149. 

U.  Orchard-grass  sieve,  %2xJ4  in.  oblong  hole,  shown  on  p.  149. 

W.  Pea  screen,  %x^  in.  mesh  wire,  shown  on  page  149. 

X.  Screen,  y2o  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 

Y.  Screen,  Via  in.  round  hole,  shown  on  page  149. 


Lip  Sieve  "D"   Ifc"  Lip  Sieve  "E"  %"  Lip  Sieve  "F"  %"  Lip  Sieve  "G" 

FIG.  42.     LIP  SIEVES.     (Reduced.) 


148  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

Screens.  A  screen  removes  particles  smaller  than  the 
grain  or  seed  being  threshed,  such  as  weed  seeds,  sand,  or 
other  foreign  matter  which  is  usually  valueless.  Sometimes, 
however,  a  useful  seed,  such  as  timothy  is  screened  out  of 
one  of  the  large  grains,  as  oats.  In  general,  for  weed  seeds 
that  are  approximately  round,  the  round  hole  are  better  than 
the  oblong  hole  screens.  However,  the  latter  are  the  only 
ones  that  will  take  out  "cheat"  which  is  often  found  in  wheat. 
The  screen  lies  in  the  bottom  of  the  shoe  and  is  held  in  place 
'by  hooks  with  thumb  nuts  which  engage  castings  fastened 
on  the  frame  of  the  screen.  When  a  screen  is  used  the  re- 
movable strip  in  the  bottom  of  the  shoe  is  taken  out  to  allow 
the  screenings  to  fall  on  the  ground.  All  screens  are  liable 
to  become  clogged  and  in  this  condition  are  an  obstruction  to 
the  grain  and  wind.  They  should  therefore  be  kept  clean 
and  only  used  when  necessary.  The  list  of  screens  is  given 
on  page  147  and  they  are  illustrated  on  page  149. 

The  Tailings  Elevator  returns  to  the  cylinder  for  a 
second  threshing  the  unthreshed  heads  and  all  trash,  which 
is  too  coarse  to  fall  through  the  sieves  and  too  heavy  to  be 
blown  out  by  the  blast.  It  consists  of  an  elevator  with  cups 
or  flights  carried  on  sprocket  chain,  into  which  the  tailings 
are  delivered  by  an  auger  (called  the  tailings  auger),  and 
a  spout  to  carry  the  tailings  from  the  end  of  the  elevator  to 
the  cylinder.  This  spout  has  an  auger  on  some  separators 
and  it  is  then  called  the  "tailings  conveyor."  The  tailings 
elevator  is  driven  from  the  crank-shaft  with  a  crossed  belt 


THE  CLEANING  APPARATUS, 


Round  Hole  "X"        TV  Round  Hole  "M"      ft"  Kound  Hole  •/ Y' 


Round  Mole  "N"        *"  Round  "°h  "°"        A"  Round  Hole  "r* 


J jMKottBd Hole"H"       1*1" Oblong Hole"K"   ^xj" Oblong Hole"L" 


»%UM  ,\x|"  Oblong  Hole»-P?>  Jxf'Mesh  Wire"W 


14    cJ. 

1  1 

|_a 

:::::::!     I 

-  }    c 

s= 

U,  UJLI  U 

LL    U      zj 

* 

1 

1  11 

ie»16  Metb  Wire  "T"     1??  12  Mesh  Wire  "R"     4{x4i  Mesh  Wire  "Q» 

FIG.  43.      SIEVES  AND  SCREENS,      (Full   Siae.) 


THE  CLEANING  APPARATUS. 

so  that  the  chain  carries  the  tailings  up  the  lower  pipe.  The 
speed  of  the  drive  shaft  at  top  is  185  revolutions  per  minute 
and  the  upper  and  lower  sprockets  having  the  same  number 
of  teeth,  the  tailings  auger  also  runs  at  this  speed. 

Oiling  Tailings  Elevator.  The  boxes  to  be  oiled  on  tail- 
ings elevator  are  the  two  of  the  shaft  at  the  upper  end,  the 
one  bolted  to  "boot"  at  lower  end  and  its  mate,  which  is  at 
the  other  end  of  the  auger  on  opposite  side  of  separator.  The 
tailings  conveyor  has  two  bearings  for  the  small  cross-shaft 
and  one  at  each  end  of  auger.  These  should  be  frequently 
oiled  and  the  bevel  gears  kept  greased. 

'Adjusting  Chains  of  Tailings  Elevator.  The  boxes  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  elevator  have  slotted  holes  to  allow  them 
to  be  moved  for  tightening  the  chain  carrying  the  cups.  Set- 
screws  with  long  threads  aid  in  adjusting  the  boxes  and  in 
holding  them  in  place.  This  chain  should  be  kept  tight 
enough  to  prevent  it  from  unhooking,  but  it  should  have 
slack  enough  to  run  freely.  The  short  chain  driving  the  tail- 
ings conveyor  is  tightened  by  lowering  the  brackets  support- 
ing it,  the  holes  in  which  are  slotted  for  this  purpose. 

To  Put  Chain  in  Tailings  Elevator.  Tie  a  weight  to  the 
end  of  rope  and  drop  it  down  the  lower  part  of  elevator. 
Untie  the  weight  and  tie  rope  to  end  of  chain,  and  while  one 
man  is  pulling  on  the  rope  from  above  let  another  feed  the 
chain  in  from  below.  When  chain  appears  at  the  top,  drop 
the  rope  down  the  upper  part  of  the  elevator,  and  when  chain 


I5O  SCIENCE  OF  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING. 

is  started  around  the  upper  sprocket,  pull  the  rope  from 
below  and  feed  it  in  as  before  to  bring  it  to  its  proper  place. 
Hook  the  chain  at  bottom,  see  that  it  is  on  the  sprocket,  and 
tighten  by  means  of  adjusting  screws  at  the  top.  Turn  the 
pulley  at  top  of  elevator  by  hand  until  the  chain  has  gone 
once  around  to  insure  its  being  free  from  kinks. 

The  Tailings  are  a  good  indication  of  the  work  the  sieves 
are  doing.  They  should  be  small  in  amount  and  contain  no 
light  chaff  and  very  little  plump  grain.  If  too  much  good 
grain  be  returned  with  the  tailings,  ascertain  if  it  comes  over 
the  shoe  sieve  or  through  the  conveyor  extension.  If  it  be 
passing  over  the  shoe  sieve,  probably  this  sieve  is  overloaded 
with  chaff,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  when  the  straw  is  badly 
cut  up.  To  remedy  this,  the  conveyor  sieve  should  be  partly 
closed  to  let  less  straw  through.  If,  however,  the  good 
grain  is  going  over  the  conveyor  sieve  and  through  the  con- 
veyor extension,  the  remedy  is  just  the  reverse,  that  is,  the 
conveyor  sieve  should  be  opened.  The  adjustment  in  sep- 
arators with  lip  sieves  is  made  by  bending  the  lips,  but  as  a 
usual  thing,  they  should  be  set  at  about  a  forty-five  degree 
angle.  Grain  returned  in  the  tailings  is  apt  to  be  cracked 
by  the  cylinder,  and  when  the  tailings  are  heavy  this  is  some- 
times of  importance.  If  very  much  chaff  is  returned  it  in- 
creases the  difficulties  of  separation,  and  must  be  handled  by 
the  sieves  again.  In  all  cases  have  as  few  tailings  as  possible* 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THRESHING  WITH  A  REGULARLY  EQUIPPED 
SEPARATOR. 

,  HIS  chapter  will  deal  with  the  threshing  of 
those  grains  and  seeds  which  may  be  suc- 
cessfully handled  by  a  regularly  equipped 
separator.  It  will  include  the  threshing  of 
wheat,  rye,  oats,  barley,  flax,  timothy,  buck- 
wheat, millet  and  speltz  or  emmer.  Those 
grains  and  seeds  which  cannot  be  threshed 
successfully  without  some  change  in,  or  addition  to  a  regu- 
larly equipped  separator  will  be  treated  separately  in  the 
following  chapter. 

Headed  Grain.  The  bulk  of  the  grain  grown  at  the 
present  time  is  cut  by  binders  and  is  delivered  to  the  thresh- 
ing machine  in  bundles.  There  are  localities,  however,  in 
which  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  grain  is  cut  by  headers  and 
delivered  to  the  separator  loose.  Bound  grain  is  supposed  to 
be  fed  to  the  cylinder,  "heads  first/'  and  when  so  fed,  the 
work  of  the  cylinder  is  made  easy  as  the  straw  holds  the 
heads  while  the  grain  is  being  knocked  out  of  them.  This 
cannot  be  the  case  with  headed  grain,  as  usually  but  little 
straw  is  left  on  the  heads,  because,  to  keep  the  bulk  small, 
the  header  is  run  to  cut  only  low  enough  to  get  most  of 
the  heads.  Other  things  being  equal,  headed  grain  is,  then, 

151 


152  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

harder  to  knock  out  of  the  heads  than  bound  grain,  but  no 
trouble  is  experienced  with  the  "Case"  separator  in  head- 
ings, if  the  cylinder  and  concaves  be  in  good  condition.  Most 
of  the  grain  raised  on  the  Pacific  coast  is  headed,  and  a 
special  feeder,  known  as  the  "Spokane  Feeder,"  is  used, 
usually  in  connection  with  derrick-forks.  In  the  more  east- 
ern headed  grain  districts,  the  mounted  feeder  carrier  is 
used  as  an  extension  to  the  regular  bundle  feeder. 

Threshing  Wheat.  Ordinarily,  it  is  not  difficult  to  do 
good  work  in  threshing  wheat  with  a  separator  which  is  in 
good  condition.  To  get  the  best  results,  the  cylinder,  es- 
pecially, should  be  in  good  repair  and  it  should  maintain  a 
uniform  speed.  The  speed  should  be  fully  up  to  the  regula- 
tion, 750  revolutions  for  the  twenty-bar  cylinder  or  1075 
revolutions  for  the  twelve-bar  cylinder.  It  is  seldom  that  the 
ordinary  varieties  of  wheat  cannot  be  threshed  with  four 
rows  of  concave  teeth.  Before  concluding  that  more  are 
required,  see  that  the  teeth  are  in  good  condition,  and  that 
the  cylinder  fully  maintains  the  given  speed.  It  is  generally 
admitted  that  four  rows  of  concave  teeth  are  more  effective 
if  a  blank  concave  be  placed  between  the  filled  concaves, 
and  that  the  straw  is  less  cut  up  if  the  filled  concaves  be 
placed  together,  but  some  good  operators  do  not  agree  with 
the  former  statement.  However,  with  this  in  mind,  it  will 
not  be  difficult  for  an  operator  to  determine  which  arrange- 
ment is  best  suited  to  the  particular  conditions  under  which 
his  machine  is  at  work.  Good  operators  judge  by  the  work 


THRESHING  WITH  REGULARLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     153 

the  machine  is  doing,  what  changes  in  the  adjustment  or 
arrangement  of  concaves  or  in  the  speed,  will  improve  the 
work.  For  example,  if  the  wheat  be  thoroughly  knocked  out 
of  the  heads  and  there  be  an  excessive  amount  of  chaff  and 
chopped  straw,  it  would  be  well  to  see  if  the  kernels  could 
still  be  threshed  clean  from  the  straw  if  the  concaves  were 
lowered  a  notch  or  two,  or  perhaps  one  filled  concave  re- 
placed by  a  blank  or  else  the  speed  lowered  slightly.  If  any 
of  these  changes  were  made,  the  work  of  the  machine  as  a 
whole  would  be  improved,  for  separation  and  cleaning  are 
made  easier  by  reducing  the  amount  of  chopped  straw. 

The  adjustable-chaffer,  chaffer-extension  and  shoe-sieve 
can  be  best  adjusted  while  the  machine  is  running,  the  oper- 
ator noting  how  much  chaff  each  is  handling,  how  the  wheat 
is  cleaned  and  the  amount  of  tailings  being  returned,  as  ex- 
plained in  Chapter  V.  The  adjustable  shoe-sieve  should 
be  placed  at,  or  very  near,  the  top,  at  the  fan  end  and  in  the 
fourth  hole  from  the  top  at  the  rear  end. 

When  the  separator  is  equipped  with  common  sieves,  the 
two-inch  lip  sieve,  D,  should  be  used  as  a  chaffer.  Ordin- 
arily, the  three-eighths  inch  lip  sieve,  G,  will  do  nice  work  as 
a  shoe  sieve,  and  it  will  remain  clean  with  little  or  no  atten- 
tion. It  should  be  placed  in  the  second  notch  at  the  fan 
end  and  third  hole  at  the  rear,— from  the  top  in  both  cases. 
When  "white-caps,"  as  kernels  with  chaff  adhering  to  them 
are  called,  are  numerous,  the  fifteen-sixty-fourths  inch  round- 
hole  sieve,  H,  is  the  best  for  removing  them.  It  should  be 


154  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

placed  in  the  second  notch  and  third  or  fourth  hole.  Some- 
times these  two  sieves  are  used  together  and  when  so  used, 
the  former,  G,  should  be  placed  in  the  first  notch  and  third 
hole  and  the  latter,  H,  in  the  fifth  or  sixth  notch  and  the 
fifth  hole. 

For  a  screen,  either  the  one-fourteenth  by  one-half  inch 
oblong  hole,  L,  or  the  one-sixteenth  by  three-eighths  inch, 
K,  is  suitable,  depending  upon  the  size  of  the  kernels  of 
wheat.  For  cockle,  the  five-thirty-seconds  inch  round  hole 
screen,  I,  is  the  right  size. 

Turkey  Wheat.  Some  varieties  of  wheat,  such  as  the 
"Turkey,"  which  is  raised  extensively  in  Oklahoma,  is  very 
difficult  to  knock  out  of  the  heads  and  often  six  rows  of  con- 
cave teeth  will  not  thresh  it  clean  from  the  straw.  In  this 
case,  one  or  more  three-row  concaves  of  corrugated  teeth  are 
necessary.  For  such  grain,  the  cylinder  speed  should  be  kept 
fully  up  to  the  stated  number  of  revolutions. 

Threshing  Rye.  Rye  is  more  easily  knocked  out  of  the 
heads  than  wheat,  and  usually  two  rows  of  concave  teeth 
are  sufficient.  When  damp,  the  straw  is  tough  and  as  it  is 
long,  it  tends  to  wrap  on  the  cylinder  and  beater.  To  pre- 
vent this,  the  cylinder  should  be  run  at  a  high  speed — say 
800  for  the  twenty-bar  or  1150  for  the  twelve-bar.  Tough 
rye  straw  is  more  liable  to  wrap  if  bruised  by  the  cylinder, 
and  therefore,  in  threshing  damp  rye,  it  is  best  to  use  not 
more  than  two  rows  of  concave  teeth  and  often  these  may 
be  left  quite  low,  as  the  high  cylinder  speed  suggested  above 


THRESHING  WITH  REGULARLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     155 

will  ordinarily  insure  threshing  it  clean  from  the  straw. 
The  writer  has  seen  a  separator  (not  a  "Case"),  which  could 
not  handle  damp  rye  with  the  usual  concave  teeth,  because 
of  wrapping,  do  very  fair  work  when  all  the  concave  teeth 
were  removed  and  a  high  cylinder  speed  depended  upon  for 
knocking  the  kernels  from  the  straw.  It  is  a  common  mistake 
to  use  too  many  concave  teeth  in  threshing  rye.  Unless  the 
straw  be  badly  chopped  up,  this  grain  is  easily  separated  and 
cleaned.  The  -  same  sieves  should  be  used  as  in  threshing 
wheat,  except  that  the  round-hole  sieve,  H,  for  removing  the 
white-caps  from  wheat  is  not  necessary  for  rye. 

Threshing  Oats.  Oats,  when  dry,  are  best  threshed  with 
two  rows  of  concave  teeth  and,  especially  if  the  straw  be 
short,  with  a  cylinder  speed  somewhat  lower  than  is  re- 
quired for  wheat.  When  they  are  in  this  condition,  it  is 
easy  to  thresh  them  very  fast  and  a  machine  of  medium  size 
often  turns  out  as  much  as  six  or  seven  hundred  bushels 
per  hour.  When  damp,  however,  oat-straw  is  very  tough 
and  requires  a  speed  of  fully  750  for  the  twenty-bar  or  1075 
for  the  twelve-bar  cylinder.  The  adjustable-chaffer  and 
shoe-sieve  should  be  set  more  open  than  for  wheat.  If  the 
separator  be  equipped  with  common  sieves,  the  two-inch 
lip-sieve,  D,  should  be  used  as  a  chaffer  and  the  three- 
quarter  inch  lip-sieve,  F,  placed  in  the  second  notch  and 
third  hole  in  the  shoe.  If  this  sieve  be  found  too  fine,  as  is 
occasionally  the  case  with  large  oats,  and  in  fast  threshing, 
the  one  and  one-quarter  inch  lip-sieve,  E,  may  be  used.  Any 


156  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

of  the  screens  mentioned  for  wheat  are  suitable  for  oats. 
Since  a  bushel  of  oats  weighs  only  a  little  more  than  half  as 
much  as  a  bushel  of  wheat,  less  wind  must  be  used  in  clean- 
ing. Oats  that  are  poorly  rilled,  and  consequently  very  light, 
cannot  be  well  cleaned  without  blowing  over  some  apparently 
good  kernels.  Upon  close  examination,  however,  it  will  be 
found  that  very  few  of  these  are  more  than  hulls,  which 
contain  no  meat. 

Threshing  Barley.  In  certain  localities,  sometimes  bar- 
ley is  in  such  condition  that  it  is  easily  threshed.  At  other 
times,  however,  the  "beards"  are  tough  and  difficult  to 
knock  off  from  the  kernels.  To  successfully  handle  such 
grain,  the  cylinder-  and  concave-teeth  should  be  in  excellent 
order.  Any  teeth  that  are  badly  worn  should  be  replaced 
by  new  ones.  Six  rows  of  concave-teeth  may  be  required 
and  the  cylinder-speed  should  be  kept  up  to  fully  750  revolu- 
tions for  the  twenty-bar  and  1075  for  the  twelve-bar  cylinder 
separators.  In  using  these  means  to  remove  the  beards,  the 
straw  being  brittle,  is  apt  to  be  badly  cut  up  and,  therefore, 
gives  the  cleaning  apparatus  a  great  deal  of  chaff  to  handle. 
The  adjustable  sieves  should  be  set  as  in  threshing  wheat. 
By  having  the  front  end  of  the  shoe-sieve  high  and  the  rear 
end  low,  the  kernels  with  beards  adhering  to  them  will  be 
carried  to  the  tailings  elevator  and  returned  to  the  cylinder. 
Another  advantage  of  placing  the  sieve  in  this  position  lies 
in  the  fact  that  when  so  placed,  it  lies  across  the  path  of 
the  blast,  thus  forcing  the  wind  through  it.  The  wind,  in 


THRESHING  WITH  REGULARLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     157 

passing  through  the  sieve,  will  lift  the  chaff  and  enable  the 
sieve  to  handle  the  large  amount  of  chaff  that  comes  to  it  in 
barley  threshing.  With  brittle  barley  straw,  the  regular 
straw-rack  sometimes  shakes  too  much  straw  through  to  the 
conveyor.  In  this  case,  as  in  threshing  "headings,"  the 
straw-rack  should  be  converted  into  the  Oregon  style,  men- 
tioned heretofore.  When  the  separator  is  fitted  with  com- 
mon sieves,  the  two-inch  lip,  D,  or  the  one  and  one-quarter- 
inch  lip,  E,  should  be  used  as  a  chaffer  and  the  three- 
eighths-inch  lip-sieve,  G,  in  the  second  notch  and  fourth 
hole  as  a  shoe-sieve.  Any  of  the  screens  mentioned  for 
wheat  are  suitable  for  barley. 

Threshing  Flax.     The  thresherman  should  devote  some 
study  to  the  peculiarities  of  flax  if  he  wishes  to  do  a  nice 

v- 

job  of  threshing.  Operators  of  some  makes  of  separators 
have  great  difficulty  in  threshing  flax  on  account  of  the  straw 
being  composed  of  tow,  and  therefore,  having  great  tendency 
to  wind  on  every  revolving  thing  it  encounters.  The  "Case" 
separator,  having  no  rotary  parts  on  which  flax  straw  can 
wind,  has  always  had  an  advantage  in  this  respect.  Flax  is 
usually  unbound,  and  on  separators  equipped  with  feeders, 
the  pitchers  are  apt  to  throw  it  upon  the  feeder-carrier  in 
large  forkfuls.  The  straw,  on  the  contrary,  should  be  fed 
evenly  to  the  cylinder,  for  if  allowed  to  pass  into  the  ma- 
chine in  large  bunches,  it  will  "slug"  the  motion  down  and 
prevent  all  parts  of  the  separator  from  doing  good  work. 
When  green  or  damp,  it  requires  close  work  on  the  part  of 


158  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

the  cylinder  and  concave  teeth  to  get  the  seed  out  of  the 
bolls.  Usually  six  rows  of  concave  teeth  are  required,  and 
the  speed  must  be  kept  fully  up  to  the  750  for  the  twenty- 
bar  or  1075  for  the  twelve-bar,  but  when  dry  and  in  good 
condition,  it  is  best  to  run  the  cylinder  at  a  little  less  than 
its  normal  speed  to  favor  the  shoe.  Some  very  good  samples 
of  cleaned  flax  have  been  taken  from  separators  fitted  only 
with  the  adjustable  sieves.  Usually,  however,  it  is  necessary 
to  place  a  sieve  underneath  the  adjustable  shoe-sieve  to  do 
first-class  cleaning.  For  this  purpose,  the  five-thirty-seconds- 
inch  round  hole  sieve,  I,  is  the  correct  size.  It  should  be 
placed  in  the  seventh  notch  at  the  fan  end  and  the  fourth 
hole  in  the  rear.  This  sieve  should  also  be  used  in  the 
same  position  in  the  shoe  of  machines  fitted  with  common 
sieves.  For  an  upper  sieve,  either  of  the  wheat  sieves  may 
be  used,  but  the  three-eighths-inch  lip  sieve,  G,  is  preferable 
to  the  fifteen-sixty-fourths-inch  round  hole  sieve,  H.  For 
a  chaffer,  the  three-quarter-inch  lip-sieve,  F,  works  the  best 
of  the  common  sieves.  More  wind  can  be  used  with  two 
sieves  in  the  shoe  than  with  one. 

Threshing  Timothy.  Although  this  seed  when  properly 
ripened  and  cured,  is  not  hard  to  thresh,  it  is  often  in  such 
condition  as  to  render  it  very  difficult  for  the  separator  to 
handle.  It  is  often  cut  and  stacked  when  green  or  damp. 
When  in  this  condition,  the  bundles  are  very  solid  and  they 
must  be  properly  fed  or  the  cylinder  and  concave  teeth  may 
give  trouble.  The  speed,  too,  must  be  fully  up  to  the  normal, 


THRESHING  WITH  REGULARLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     159 

750  for  the  twenty-bar  or  1075  for  the  twelve-bar  cylinder. 
Six  rows  of  concave-teeth  should  always  be  used,  as  con- 
siderable rubbing  is  necessary  to  loosen  the  seed  from  the 
heads.  When  the  seed  is  ripe  and  dry,  the  cylinder  speed 
may  be  lowered  considerably,  and  this  should  be  done  when- 
ever possible,  as  a  low  speed  favors  the  shoe  in  handling 
this  small  and  rather  light  seed.  Often  when  the  seed  is 
well  ripened  and  allowed  to  stand  in  the  field,  especially  if 
in  shocks  that  are  not  capped,  it  will  be  badly  shelled  in  hand-- 
ling so  that  the  amount  threshed  will  be  considerably  less 
than  the  actual  yield  would  be,  were  it  possible  to  save  it  all. 

The  adjustable-sieves  should  be  set  well  closed  for  tim- 
othy and  a  lower  sieve  must  be  used  to  get  the  seed  clean. 
Either  the  one-sixteenth-inch  round-hole  sieve,  M,  or  the 
sixteen  by  sixteen-mesh  wire  sieve,  T,  are  suitable  for  tim- 
othy seed,  and  either  may  be  used  successfully,  if  placed  in 
the  seventh  notch  and  fourth  or  fifth  hole,  When  common- 
sieves  are  used,  the  three-quarter-inch  lip-sieve,  F,  will  be 
found  to  be  the  most  suitable  for  a  chaffer  and  the  three- 
eighth-inch  lip,  G,  is  an  excellent  upper  sieve  for  the  shoe. 

Threshing  Buckwheat.  This  grain  is  easily  knocked  off 
the  straw  and  one  or  two  rows  of  concave-teeth  are  always 
sufficient.  Very  often  when  dry,  it  is  best  threshed  with  all 
the  concave-teeth  removed.  Buckwheat  straw  is  brittle  and 
it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  as  with  other  grains,  the  work 
of  separation  and  cleaning  is  easier  when  the  work  of  the 
cylinder  is  not  overdone.  The  speed  should  be  low  to  pre- 


l6o  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

vent  cracking  the  grain.  The  sieves  should  be  set  the  same  as 
for  wheat.  In  localities  in  which  sufficient  buckwheat  is 
grown  to  keep  a  separator  threshing  for  several  days  at  a 
time,  excellent  results  can  be  obtained  by  changing  the  pul- 
leys on  the  cylinder-shaft  as  for  rice,  thus  making  a  low 
cylinder  speed  possible,  while  the  balance  of  the  machine 
maintains  its  normal  motion. 

Threshing  Millet.  This  is  the  most  easily  threshed  of 
the  ordinary  seeds.  Usually  the  normal  cylinder  speed  and 
four  rows  of  concave-teeth  are  sufficient  to  knock  out  the 
seed.  The  adjustable-sieves  will  ordinarily  clean  it  suffi- 
ciently. If  the  separator  be  fitted  with  common  sieves,  the 
three-quarter-inch  lip-sieve,  F,  should  be  used  as  a  chaffer, 
and  either  the  three-eighths-inch  lip-sieve,  G,  or  the  fifteen- 
sixty-fourths-inch  round-hole  sieve,  H,  used  in  the  second 
notch  and  third  hole  in  the  shoe.  When  a  lower  sieve  is 
desired  with  either  the  adjustable-  or  common-sieves,  the 
one-eighth-inch  round-hole-sieve,  O,  or  the  five-thirty- 
seconds-inch  round-hole  sieve,  I,  is  suitable.  Either  should 
be  placed  in  the  seventh  notch  and  fifth  hole. 

Threshing  Speltz  or  Emmer.  This  grain  is  easily 
threshed  and  if  the  directions  for  threshing  oats  be  followed, 
no  difficulty  will  be  experienced, . 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THRESHING  WITH  A  SPECIALLY  EQUIPPED 
SEPARATOR. 

,  HIS  chapter  will  deal  with  those  crops,  the 
threshing  of  which  requires  a  change  in, 
or  an  addition  to,  a  regularly  equipped  sepa- 
rator. It  will  include  the  threshing  of  peas, 
beans,  rice,  clover,  alfalfa,  orchard-grass, 
Kafir  and  Indian-corn  and  peanuts. 

Threshing  Peas.,  To  prevent  cracking 
the  peas,  it  is  necessary  to  run  the  cylinder  at  a  very 
much  lower  speed  than  is  required  for  threshing  grain.  To 
obtain  the  best  results,  the  twelve-bar  cylinder  should 
ordinarily  be  run  at  from  400  to  450  revolutions  per  minute, 
but  when  the  peas  are  thoroughly  ripened  and  dry,  a  lower 
speed  will  be  better,  300  revolutions  being  sufficient,  at 
times.  Ordinarily  the  twenty-bar  cylinder  should  be  run 
290  revolutions  per  minute,  but  this  speed  may  also  be 
lessened  to  nearly  200  revolutions  when  the  condition  of 
the  pods  permit.  To  secure  this  low  cylinder  speed  and 
retain  the  normal  motion  of  the  other  parts  of  the  machine 
and  of  the  engine,  it  is  necessary  to  change  the  pulleys  on 
the  cylinder  shaft.  * 

The  number  of  concave  rows  may  be  two,  four  or  six, 
as  the  condition  require.     The  cylinder  must  be  run  at  a 


l62  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

certain  slow  speed  as  already  stated^  and  when  so  speeded, 
more  concave  teeth  are  required  than  if  it  were  allowed  to 
run  faster  However,  since  the  cylinder  speed  must  be  low, 
a  sufficient  number  of  concave  teeth  should  be  used  to 
knock  the  peas  out  of  the  pods.  For  "blanks",  when  less 
than  six  rows  of  concave  teeth  are  used,  hardwood  boards 
cut  to  the  right  length  and  width  and  fitted  to  the  concave- 
circles  are  preferable  to  the  regular  iron-blanks.  Since  peas 
are  apt  to  be  cracked  by  the  corners  on  the  iron-blank-con- 
caves or  grates,  the 'grates  under  the  beater  are  sometimes 
covered  with  sheet-iron.  This  should  be  done  where  trouble 
from  cracking  is  experienced. 

In  general,  the  adjustable  chaffer  and  shoe  sieve  should 
be  set  only  slightly  more  open  for  the  common  field  peas  or 
for  stock-peas  than  for  wheat.  If  the  separator  be  fitted 
with  common-sieves,  the  one  and  one-quarter-inch  lip,  E, 
or  the  two-inch  lip,  D,  should  be  used  as  a  chaffer,  and  the 
three-eighths-inch  lip,  G,  should  be  placed  in  the  second 
notch  and  third  hole  in  the  shoe.  For  a  screen,  the  three- 
sixteenths  by  three-quarter-inch  oblong  hole,  P,  is  best, 
although  the  fifteen-sixty-fourths  round-hole  wheat  sieve, 
H,  works  very  well  in  field  or  "Whip-poor-will"  stock- 
peas. 

If  trouble  be  experienced  because  the  peas  strike  the 
floor  of  the  shoe  and  bound  over  into  the  fan,  it  can  be 
prevented  by  covering  the  front  part  of  the  chaffer  to  a  dis- 
tance of  twelve  or  fourteen  inches  with  sheet-iron.  If  there 


THRESHING  WITH  SPECIALLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     163 

be  much  sand  or  dirt  to  be  screened  out,  applying  the  same 
remedy  will  cause  the  peas  to  be  dropped  farther  rearward 
and  allow  the  dirt  more  chance  to  get  through  the  screen. 
Returning  peas  to  the  cylinder  with  the  tailings  is  apt  to 
crack  them,  and  therefore,  the  cleaned  peas  will  contain 
fewer  split  ones  if  the  tailings  be  kept  separate.  This  may 
be  done  by  opening  the  bottom  of  the  tailings-elevator  and 
allowing  them  to  run  on  the  ground.  Afterwards  they  may 
be  run  through  the  machine  while  "cleaning  up." 

Threshing  Beans.  All  that  has  been  said  above,,  in 
regard  to  threshing  peas,  applies  equally  well  to  threshing 
the  ordinary  white  navy  beans,  and  also  the  larger  varie- 
ties, except,  that  for  the  latter,  if  common  sieves  be  used, 
the  three-quarter-inch  lip,  F,  should  be  used  in  place  of 
the  three-eighths-inch  lip  sieve,  G,  in  the  shoe. 

Threshing  Soy  Beans.     Soy  beans  are  difficult  to  knock 
out  of  the  pods,  and  are  so  hard  that  they  are  not  easily 
'  cracked.    Therefore,  they  can  best  be  threshed  with  a  sepa- 
rator adjusted  and  speeded  as  for  wheat. 

Special  Cylinders  for  Peas  and  Beans.  There  are  local- 
ities in  which  a  separator  may  be  kept  constantly  threshing 
peas  or  beans  for  several  days  or  even  weeks  at  a  time. 
For  such  machines,  it  is  often  advisable  to  obtain  a  special 
cylinder  with  the  teeth  spaced  for  this  work.  When  so 
equipped,  a  "Case"  separator  will  do  better  work  than  it 
would  do  with  the  regular  cylinder.  In  fact,  its  work  is  then 
equal  to  that  of  the  machines  designed  especially  for  hulling 


164  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

beans,  while  its  capacity  is  much,  greater.  In  changing  to 
the  special  cylinder,  it  is  necessary  to  procure  the  special 
concaves  and  concave-circles,  as  well  as  the  cylinder. 

Threshing  Rice.  This  grain  is  difficult  to  thresh  clean 
from  the  heads  without  cracking  or  hulling  the  kernels. 
The  teeth  in  a  regular  cylinder  are  spaced  too  closely  for 
ordinary  rice  threshing,  although  good  work  is  sometimes 
done  when  the  teeth  have  become  somewhat  worn  and  are 
consequently  thinner  than  when  new.  The  "Case"  rice 
thresher  has  the  proper  spacing  of  teeth  to  thresh  this 
grain  out  of  the  heads  without  cracking  more  than  a  small 
percentage.  What  is  said  in  Chapter  III  in  regard  to  the 
proper  endwise  adjustment  of  the  cylinder  and  the  necessity 
of  keeping  the  teeth  straight  applies  particularly  to  rice 
threshing.  In  reading  that  chapter  with  reference  to  rice, 
however,  it  should  be  born  in  mind  that  a  difference  exists, 
from  the  fact  that  the  space  between  the  concave  and  cylin- 
der teeth  is  about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  in  the  rice 
machine  instead  of  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch,  as  it  is  in 
the  regular.  When  the  rice  is  in  good  condition,  the 
amount  hulled  and  broken  should  not  exceed  five  per  cent., 
but  when  the  grain  is  "sun-cracked",  the  percentage  may 
be  somewhat  larger.  The  condition  of  the  grain  will  deter- 
mine the  number  and  position  of  the  concave  teeth,  two, 
four  or  six  rows  being  used  as  required. 

Besides  requiring  a  special  spacing  of  the  cylinder  and 
concave  teeth,  the  cylinder  speed  must  be  lower  for  rice 


THRESHING  WITH  SPECIALLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     165 

than  for  ordinary  grain.  The  twelve-bar  cylinder-speed  for 
rice  should  be  900  revolutions  per  minute  and  in  order  to 
give  the  proper  speed  to  the  other  parts  of  the  separator,  it 
is  necessary  to  have  the  special  pulleys  on  the  cylinder 
shaft.  These  are  sufficiently  larger  than  the  regular  pulleys 
to  allow  the  cylinder  to  run  at  the  desired  low  speed,  while 
maintaining  normal  speed  of  the  other  parts  of  the  separa- 
tor. In  the  same  manner,  the  twenty-bar  cylinder  speed 
for  rice  should  be  from  575  to  600  revolutions,  and  to 
obtain  this,  a  corresponding  change  in  all  the  pulleys  on  the 
cylinder  shaft  must  be  made.  More  rice  is  apt  to  be 
cracked  the  first  few  days  a  new  separator  runs,  than  will  be 
afterwards,  when  the  cylinder  teeth  have  become  worn 
smooth. 

For  rice  the  adjustable  chaffer  and  shoe-sieve  should  be 
set  in  the  same  position  and  with  about  the  same  opening 
as  for  oats.  Rice  is  considerably  heavier,  however,  and  will 
stand  the  extra  amount  of  wind  required  to  blow  out  its 
heavy  chaff.  When  common  sieves  are  used  the  chaffer 
should  be  the  two-inch  lip,  D.  The  three-quarter-inch  lip- 
sieve,  F,  placed  in  the  second  notch  and  third  hole  gives 
excellent  results  as  a  shoe-sieve.  For  a  screen,  the  one- 
fourteenth  by  one-half-irich  oblong-hole,  L,  is  best,  ordi- 
narily. When  the  rice  is  so  small  that  this  screen  lets  too 
much  through,  the  one-sixteenth  by  three-eighths-inch 
oblong-hole,  K,  may  be  used. 

Hulling  Clover.     The  process  of  removing  clover  seed 


1 66  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

from  the  heads  or  tops  of  the  plant  is  usually  called  "hull- 
ing," instead  of  "threshing."  A  special  attachment  is  made 
for  "Case"  separators,  for  use  in  hulling  clover.  This 
attachment  consists  of  four  narrow  three-row  concaves 
filled  with  corrugated  teeth,  one  special  blank  concave  and 
special  sieves.  All  twelve  rows  of  teeth  should  be  used  and 
the  blank  placed  in  front.  If  the  seed  be  not  threshed  clean 
from  the  heads  at  the  regular  speed,  with  the  twelve  rows 
of  teeth  set  clear  up,  run  the  cylinder  a  little  faster.  While 
doing  this,  the  belts  driving  beater,  crank  and  fan  may  be 
left  a  little  loose  so  they  will  not  drive  these  parts  too  fast. 
Clover  must  be  very  dry  to  be  well  threshed  by  any  machine 
and  when  threshing  from  the  field  is  usually  not  in  condi- 
tion to  be  hulled  before  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
From  three  to  six  bushels  per  hour  is  fair  work  with  a 
medium  size  separator  in  dry  clover  of  an  average  yield. 
The  machines  built  especially  for  hulling  clover  have  only 
about  half  the  capacity  of  the  "Case"  separator. 

Good  cleaning  has  been  done  with  the  adjustable-sieves 
alone,  but  ordinarily,  it  will  be  found  much  easier  to  pro- 
duce clean  seed  if  a  sieve  be  useid  in  the  shoe  below  the 
adjustable  one.  For  this  purpose,  the  three-thirty-seconds- 
inch  round-hole  sieve,  N,  or  the  twelve  by  twelve  mesh 
woven-wire-sieve,  R,  is  the  correct  size.  Either  should  be 
placed  in  the  seventh  notch  and  eighth  hole.  The  adjust- 
able shoe-sieve  should  be  placed  in  the  second  notch  and 
third  hole.  When  common  sieves  are  used,  the  three-quar- 


THRESHING  WITH   SPECIALLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     167 

ter-inch  lip,  F,  makes  a  suitable  chaffer,  and  the  three- 
eighths-inch  lip-sieve,  G,  is  the  best  as  an  upper-sieve  in  the 
shoe.  The  latter  should  be  placed  in  the  first  notch  and 
first  hole  and  the  lower  shoe-sieve  should  be  of  the  same 
size  and  placed  in  the  same  position  as  given  for  adjustable- 
sieves.  Three  sieves  have  been  used  in  the  shoe  for  clover, 
but  few  operators  can  make  three  sieves  do  better  than  two. 
The  "Case"  recleaner  is  sometimes  used  in  hulling  clover 
and  when  fitted  with  the  proper  sieves,  it  will  thoroughly 
clean  very  weedy  seed. 

Threshing  Alfalfa  or  Lucerne.  The  same  rules  which 
govern  the  hulling  of  clover  apply  in  a  general  way  to  the" 
threshing  of  alfalfa,  although  it  is  easier  to  rub  the  latter 
out  of  its  pods  than  the  former  out  of  its  heads.  The  clover 
concaves  are  sometimes  used,  but  more  often  one  or, more 
of  the  regular  three-row  concaves  filled  with  corrugated 
teeth  are  all  that  is  required.  The  sieves  may  be  the  same 
and  set  in  the  same  way  as  for  clover.  Often  a  weed  known 
as  dodder  or  love-vine,  grows  with  alfalfa  and  its  seeds  are 
usually  enough  smaller  than  the  alfalfa  seed  to  allow  the 
greater  part  of  them  to  be  removed  by  screening.  The  most 
suitable  screen  for  this  purpose  is  the  one-twentieth-inch 
round-hole,  X. 

Threshing  Orchard-Grass.  In  threshing  this  grass,  the 
cylinder  should  be  run  at  its  regular  speed,  and  six  rows  of 
concave  teeth,  set  well  up,  should  be  used.  Good  work  has 
been  done  with  the  adjustable  sieves  alone,  but  as  a  rule, 


168  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

the  seed  can  be  cleaned  better  by  using  the  three-thirty- 
seconds  by  one-half-inch  oblong-hole  special  sieve,  U,  under- 
neath the  adjustable  shoe-sieve.  It  should  be  placed  in  the 
seventh  or  eighth  notch  and  sixth  hole.  The  adjustable  shoe- 
sieve  should  be  placed  in  the  second  notch  and  third  hole.  If 
common-sieves  be  used,  place  the  one  and  one-quarter-inch 
lip  sieve,  E,  in/  the  conveyor.  Use  the  three-quarter-inch 
lip  sieve,  F,  as  an  upper  sieve  in  the  shoe  placed  in  the 
first  notch  and  third  hole.  Us'e  the  three-thirty-seconds  by 
one-half-inch  special  orchard-grass  sieve.,  U,  below,  placing 
it  in  the  same  position  as  when  used  with  the  adjustable  one. 
But  little  wind  is  required,  and  if  the  grass  be  reasonably 
free  from  weeds,  the  lower  blinds  may  be  entirely  closed  and 
the  upper  ones  opened  a  little.  If  the  grass  be  damp  or 
dirty,  slightly  open  the  lower  ones  also.  From  twelve-hun- 
dred to  fifteen-hundred  bushels  of  orchard-grass  have  been 
threshed  in  a  clay  with  a  medium  sized  machine. 

Threshing  Kafir-Corn.  The  three  principal  varieties  of 
Kafir-corn — the  white,  the  red  and  the  black-hulled  white, 
(African-millet),  are  known  by  various  names,  such  as  "red- 
top"  or  "sumac-cane",  "milo-maize",  "black-amber-cane", 
"guinea-corn",  etc.  Any  of  these  may  be  successfully 
threshed  with  a  "Case"  separator.  When  the  machine  is 
kept  continually  threshing  crops  of  this  sort,  it  is  best  to  use 
the  "Texas"  straw-rack,  which  is  made  especially  for  this 
work.  The  general  directions  for  wheat  may  be  followed  in 
regard  to  the  cylinder  and  concaves,  speed  and  cleaning 
apparatus. 


THRESHING  WITH  SPECIALLY  EQUIPPED  SEPARATOR.     169 

Threshing  Indian-Corn  or  Maize.  The  threshing  of 
Indian-corn  is  very  hard  on  a  separator  and  the  use  of  a 
good  machine  for  this  purpose  is  therefore  not  recom- 
mended. Some  threshermen  use  a  separator  which  has 
been  discarded  for  use  in  regular  grain  threshing  and  this 
arrangement  is  not  objectionable.  As  the  corn  is  shelled  by 
the  machine  it  must  be  drier  than  is  necessary  for  a  husker- 
shredder,  or  the  shelled  corn  will  heat  and  spoil.  Usually 
the  cylinder  is  run  at  its  normal  speed  and  two  rows  of  con- 
cave-teeth are  used.  Often  concave-teeth  are  forged  so  as 
to  be  sharpened  on  the  front  edge  or  else  shortened  to 
lessen  the  amount  of  power  required  to  drive  the  cylinder. 
The  fish-backs  may  be  removed  from  the  straw-rack  and 
the  risers  lowered  so  that  the  rack  is  flat,  similar  to  the 
special  "Texas"  rack  used  for  Kafir-corn. 

Threshing  Peanuts.  Although  a  great  part  of  the  pea- 
nut crop  has  always  been  removed  from  the  vines  by  hand, 
machines  are  being  used  more  and  more  each  year  for  this 
work.  The  "Case"  separator,  when  fitted  with  special  parts, 
works  very  satisfactorily,  and  the  separation  is  more  com- 
plete with  it,  than  with  the  machines  built  especially  for 
hulling  peanuts. 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


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CHAPTER  VIII. 
FEEDING   THE   SEPARATOR. 

,  HE  importance  of  having  a  separator  properly 
fed  was  generally  realized  more  fully  in  the 
old  days  when  all  machines  were  fed  by 
hand  and  the  power  was  furnished  by  horses, 
than  at  present.  Then  it  was  evident  that 
some  men  could  feed  more  grain  to  a  thresh- 
ing cylinder  in  a  given  period,  at  the  same 
time  letting  the  horses  do  their  work  easier,  than  others  less 
skilled  in  the  art  of  feeding.  To-day,  as  in  the  past,  to  get 
the  best  results  from  a  separator,  it  must  be  fed  so  that  the 
cylinder  maintains  a  uniform  speed. 

Feeding  by  Hand.  To  become  a  good  hand  feeder,  con- 
siderable experience  and  practice  are  required.  A  good 
feeder  tips  his  bundles  well  up  against  the  cylinder  cap, 
turning  flat  bundles  up  on  edge,  and  always  holding  them 
from  the  under-side  so^  that  the  cylinder  may  take  from  the 
top.  But  a  slight  movement  is  necessary  to  spread  a  bundle, 
and  in  fast  threshing,  feeding  from  both  sides,  each  bundle 
should  be  fed  almost  entirely  on  its  own  side,  keeping  the 
cylinder  full  its  entire  width  and  having  each  bundle  in 
position  before  the  last  of  the  preceding  bundle  has  passed 
into  the  cylinder.  A  good  feeder  will  keep  the  straw-carrier 

171 


172  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

evenly  covered  with  straw,  and  will  watch  the  stacker,  tail- 
ings and  grain  elevators  and  know  the  moment  anything  goes 
wrong. 

Self-Feeders.  A  separator  equipped  with  a  feeding  at- 
tachment may  be  spoken  of  as  a  "self-feeder/'  but  properly 
speaking,  the  attachment  itself  is  a  "feeder,"  not  a  "self- 
feeder,"  because  it  feeds  the  separator,  but  does  not  feed 
itself. 

Attaching  the  Feeder.  Remove  feed  tables,  hopper-arms 
and  foot-board,  if  they  be  on  the  machine.  A  wagon  placed 
in  front  of  the  separator  will  afford  a  convenient  means  of 
supporting  feeder  head  while  bolting  it  in  place.  When  the 
head  is  bolted  in  position,  the  "notched  bottom"  and  "re- 
tarder  bottom"  may  be  put  in  place.  The  plate  of  the  latter 
must  rest  on  top  of  the  concave  so  that  no  ledge  is  formed. 
Any  man  who  has  tried  feeding  a  cylinder  by  hand  when  the 
feed  board  had  slipped  off  the  concave,  will  understand  the 
importance  of  this.  The  carrier  is  held  by  the  notches  pro- 
vided for  it  on  the  head,  by  pins.  Slack  for  hooking  the 
sprocket  chains  of  the  rake  may  be  obtained  by  partly  folding 
the  carrier.  When  all  pulleys,  including  the  tightener  and 
governor,  are  fastened  in  place,  all  the  bearings  are  oiled 
and  the  governor  adjusted  according  to  the  directions  given 
below,  the  feeder  is  ready  to  run. 

After  attaching  a  feeder,  it  is  well  to  try  the  cylinder  for 
end-play,  for  it  may  be  that  the  ironsides  supporting  cylinder 
boxes  have  been  sprung  enough  to  cause  too  much  end-play 


FEEDING  THE  SEPARATOR. 


173 


or  else  press  the  boxes  so  hard  against  the  hubs  of  the  cylin- 
der heads  as  to  cause  heating. 

Folding  Feeder  Garner.  The  carrier  is  folded  out  of  the 
way  for  transportation.  The  center-board  must  be  removed 
and  the  sprocket-chains  of  the  rake  hooked  up  before  folding. 


FIG.   45.       SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  "CASE"   FEEDER. 

Oiling.  The  places  to  be  oiled  are  the  cranks,  the  two 
large  crank  boxes,  the  two  small  crank  boxes,  two  carrier 
shaft  boxes,  shaft  at  outer  end  of  carrier,  two  wood  boxes 
of  hopper-bottom,  tightener-pulley  stud  and  the  stud  on 


174  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

which  the  idler  pulley  runs.    The  friction  band  of  governor 
should  not  be  oiled  after  it  becomes  smooth. 

The  Governor  drives  the  feeder  by  means  of  a  friction 
band,  which  is  clamped  over  a  friction  pulley,  by  means  of 
the  centrifugal  action  of  the  weights.  The  spring  tension  on 
these  weights  should  be  such  that  the  feeder  will  not  start 
until  cylinder  is  very  near  its  normal  speed.  In  starting  a 
new  feeder  any  paint  that  may  be  on  the  inside  of  friction 
band  and  on  the  face  of  the  friction  pulley  should  be  care- 
fully removed  and  the  surface  of  both  scoured  with  emery- 
cloth  or  fine  sand-paper  until  smooth  and  bright.  A  very 
little  oil  may  be  used  the  first  few  days,  but  when  once 
properly  adjusted,  it  will  not  require  any  further  lubrication. 
The  best  adjustment  of  the  governor  will  be  found  to  be 
as  follows :  First  adjust  the  friction  band  so  that  the  weight 
arms  may  be  pulled  out  about  half  way  by  hand.  Then  set 
the  weights  about  one-half  inch  from  the  ends  of  the  arms 
and  give  the  spring  but  little  tension  when  the  weights  are 
in  and  the  band  is  loose.  The  final  adjustment  of  the  spring 
can  best  be  made  by  trying  it  and  setting  it  to  suit  the  speed. 
Wrench  5548T  will  be  found  convenient  in  adjusting  the 
spring. 

Speed.  With  the  regular  cylinder  speed  of  750  revolu- 
tions for  the  20  bar  and  1075  revolutions  of  the  12  bar  cylin- 
ders the  knife-arm  crank  of  the  feeder  will  make  258  revolu- 
tions per  minute.  The  retarder  blades  should  be  driven 
from  the  carrier-rake  drive  shaft  and  when  so  driven,  will 


FEEDING  THE  SEPARATOR. 


make  27  turns  per  minute,  with  the  belt  driving  stud  shaft 
on  the  inner  pulleys  or  33  turns  with  belt  on  outer  pulleys. 
As  a  change  in  the  speed  of  carrier-rake  is  sometimes  desir- 
able, special  sprockets  have  been  provided  which  give  a 
range  of  speed  as  shown  in  the  following  table. 


Sprocket  on  Carrier 
Shaft. 

Spocket  on  Stud 
Shaft. 

Slow,    (Belt   on   Inner 
Pulleys). 

Fast,    (Belt  on   Outer 
Pulleys). 

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5324T 
5324T 
A5324T 
A5324T 
36FS 

5447T 
A5447T 
5447T 
A5447T 
A5447T 

230 
263 
230 
263 
263 

230 
264 
230 
264 
264 

67 
76 
80 
92 
92 

54.45 
61.75 

65. 

74.  7f 
74.75 

290 
331 
290 
331 
331 

290 
330 
290 
330 
330 

84 
96 
101 
116 
116 

68.25 
78. 
82. 
94.25 
94.25 

NOTE:  Sprockets  5324!  (24  teeth),  and  544/T  (7 
teeth),  are  regular,  and  A^24.T  (20  teeth),  and  A5447T  (8 
teeth),  are  special.  The  number  of  revolutions  per  minute 
is  given  in  each  case.  The  above  has  reference  to  feeders 
previous  to  1907.  On  feeders  built  in  1907  and  later,  having 
the  straw  governor,  sprocket  36  FS  is  regular. 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


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CHAPTER  IX. 
THE  STRAW  STACKERS. 

,  HE  demands  of  the  farmers  in  various  local- 
ities for  a  means  of  handling  straw,  espec- 
ially suited  to  their  particular  needs,  has  led 
to  the  designing  and  building  of  several  dif- 
ferent devices  for  this  purpose. 

Common  Stackers.  This  is  the  name 
given  to  the  plain  straw  carriers  which  do 
not  swing.  Ordinarily  they  are  attached  to  the  separator 
and  are  hoisted  and  lowered  by  means  of  a  rope  and  wind- 
lass. The  short  lengths  are  usually  in  one  section,  but  the 
longer  ones  are  jointed  so  they  may  be  folded  for  transporta- 
tion. Being  pivoted  to  the  separator  at  a  point  near  the 
ground,  a  common  stacker  is  level  when  its  end  is  not  more 
than  three  feet  from  the  ground.  Therefore,  the  straw  will 
be  dropped  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  separator  as  the  stacker 
is  elevated.  This  tendency  of  the  end  of  the  stacker  to 
draw  away  from  the  stack  must  be  allowed  for  in  locating 
the  stack,  which  must  be  placed  sufficiently  under  the  stacker 
so  that  when  elevated,  the  straw  will  be  dropped  well  onto 
the  stack.  Parts  may  be  obtained  for  converting  any  "Case" 
common  stacker  into  a  "side-stacker"  for  delivering  the  straw 
into  the  side  mows  in  barn  threshing.  When  so  used  the  end 
of  the  straw-carrier  rests  on  the  ground. 

177 


178  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

'  The  Attached  Stacker.  This  is  the  name  given  to  the 
automatically  swinging  stacker  which  is  attached  to  the 
separator.  The  present  style  has  an  upright-section,  to  the 
upper  end  of  which  the  carrier  is  attached.  This  brings  the 
pivot-point  about  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  and  since  the 
carrier  is  this  distance  from  the  ground  when  level,  its  outer 
end  does  not  perceptibly  draw  away  from  the  stack  as  it  is 
elevated. 

Operating  the  Attached-Stacker.  The  carrier  of  this 
stacker  may  be  made  to  swing  automatically,  and,  as  is  the 
case  with  other  self-swinging  stackers,  the  length  of  swing 
depends  upon  the  position  of  the  trip-pins.  Many  stack 
builders  prefer  to  swing  the  carrier  by  hand  from  the  stack. 
This  may  be  done  by  disengaging  the  driving  apparatus. 
The  carrier  of  this  stacker  should  always  be  folded  so  as  to 
rest  on  the  deck  of  the  separator,  before  the  machine  is 
moved  from  place  to  place. 

Oiling  the  Attached-Stacker.  All  of  the  gearing  should 
be  frequently  greased,  especially  the  bevel-gears  and  the 
worm-gears.  The  upright  bearing  is  oiled  through  the  cen- 
ter of  the  shaft.  All  the  other  shaft  bearings  are  provided 
with  oil-cups  which  should  be  partly  filled  with  a  little  wool 
or  cotton-waste. 

Independent  Stackers.  This  is  the  name  given  to  swing- 
ing stackers  which  are  mounted  on  trucks  separately  from 
those  of  the  separator.  The  independent  stacker  was  quite 
universally  popular  at  one  time.  Of  late  years  the  wind 


THE  STRAW    STACKERS  179 

stacker  and  other  swinging  stackers  have  replaced  it  very 
generally.  These  later  stackers,  from  the  first,  were  more 
popular  with  the  threshermen  because  no  time  is  lost  in 
setting  and  aligning  them.  The  independent  stacker  requires 
a  complete  common  stacker,  usually  an  eighteen-foot,  to 
deliver  the  straw  onto  it.  The  carrier  supports  are  arranged 
to  move  the  carrier  towards  the  stack  as  it  is  elevated  so  the 
path  of  the  end  of  the  carrier  approximates  closely  a  vertical 
line. 

Putting  together  the  Independent-Stacker.  The  frame 
and  platform  should  be  first  mounted  on  the  trucks.  The 
long  section  of  the  carrier  may  be  then  placed  in  position  and 
its  radial  supports  and  hoisting  ropes  attached.  These  ropes 
should  be  kept  the  same  length  so  that  the  carrier  will  hang 
level.  The  short  section  of  the  carrier  together  with  the 
ropes  and  reel-shaft  for  folding  it  may  be  next  put  on. 
When  the  carrier-rake,  the  slides  for  supporting  it  and  the 
side-boards  are  put  on,  the  stacker  will  be  complete.  The 
hood  is  attached  to  the  end  of  the  common  stacker  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  prevent  the  wind  from  scattering  the  straw 
as  it  drops  onto  the  independent-stacker. 

Setting  the  Independent-Stacker.  Holes  should  be  dug 
or  blocking  placed  under  the  truck-wheels  until  the  frame  is 
level,  both  cross-wise  and  length-wise.  This  is  necessary, 
as  otherwise  an  excessive  amount  of  power  is  required  to 
swing  it  toward  the  higher  side  of  the  frame.  The  stacker 
must  also  be  placed  in  alignment  with  the  separator  in  order 


ISO    .  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

to  have  the  belt  run  properly  on  the  pulleys.  To  prevent  the 
belt  from  drawing  the  stacker  ahead,  at  least  one  of  the  truck- 
wheels  must  be  blocked.  The  block  for  this  purpose  should 
be  carried  with  the  machine  so  that  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  hunt  one  each  time  the  stacker  is  set. 

Operating  the  Independent-Stacker.  The  length  of 
swing  is  governed  by  trip-pins  and  will  be  readily  understood. 
Before  leaving  the  machine  with  a  stack  part  way  up,  it  is 
best  to  lower  the  carrier  until  it  rests  on  the  stack,  so  that  in 
case  a  wind  springs  up,  the  stacker  will  not  be  in  danger  of 
being  upset.  The  carrier  should  be  folded  and  lowered 
until  it  rests  on  its  supports  before  moving  from  place  to 
place.  No  special  instructions  are  necessary  in  respect  to 
lubrication,  except,  perhaps,  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  bearings  of  the  rake-drive-shaft  boxes  should  be  fre- 
quently oiled. 

The  Wind  Stacker  has  steadily  increased  in  popularity 
until  to-day  there  afe  more  of  them  sold  than  of  all  the 
various  other  varieties  of  stackers  combined.  The  wind 
stacker  was  extremely  popular  with  the  threshermen  from 
the  first,  because  of  its  freedom  from  "trappy"  features,  the 
absence  of  dust  and  litter  about  the  separator  equipped  with 
it,  and  the  ease  with  which  the  chute  is  swung  around  on 
the  deck  of  separator  for  transportation. 

Operating  the  Wind  Stacker.  To  make  the  chute  swing 
automatically,  the  two  inch  belt  must  be  put  on  to  drive  the 
turret  and  if  the  clutch,  which  is  operated  by  a  rod  handle 


THE  STRAW   STACKERS 


181 


from  the  foot-board,  be  engaged,  the  turret  will  slowly  re- 
volve, carrying  the  chute  with  it.  It  may  be  made  to  go  in 
the  opposite  direction  at  any  time  by  throwing  the  reverse 
lever  over  by  hand  or  it  may  be  stopped  by  throwing  the 
other  clutch  out  by  means  of  the  rod.  Rivets  are  used  as  trip 


FIG.  47.      SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  WIND  STACKER. 

pins  and  these  will  cause  stacker  to  reverse  its  swing  auto- 
matically, any  desired  length  of  swing  being  obtained  by 
placing  the  trip  pins  in  the  different  holes  in  the  main-turn- 
ing worm-wheel.  Care  must  be  taken  to  see  that  these  trip 


182 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 


pins  are  removed  before  trying  to  swing  the  chute  by  means 
of  the  hand-wheel  for  if  left  in,  a  broken  reverse  lever  may 
be  the  result.  When  a  setting  is  nearly  finished,  the  trip 
pins  should  be  removed  so  that  the  chute  may  be  turned  on 
top  of  the  machine  as  soon  as  the  engine  belt  is  thrown  off. 
The  machine  should  never  be  moved  until  the  chute  rests  in 
its  support*  If  it  be  not  desired  to  Use  the  automatic  move- 
ment, the  two-inch  belt  may  be  left  off. 


FIG.  48.      TELESCOPING  DEVICE  FOR  STRAW-CHUTE. 

If  the  stacker  drive  belt  does  not  run  on  the  center  of  the 
stacker  pulley,  it  may.be  made  to  do  so  by  inserting  a  little 
cardboard  under  the  idler-pulley  bracket.  If  the  belt  has 
been  running  too  far  out  (or  away  from  the  machine),  on 
the  pulley,  put  the  cardboard  under  the  front  part  of  the 
bracket,  and  if  the  belt  runs  too  far  in  on  the  pulley,  put  the 
cardboard  under  the  rear  part  of  the  bracket;  Underlaying 


THE  STRAW   STACKERS  183 

the  bracket  above  or  below  so  as  to  raise  the  outer  or  the  inner 
edge  of  the  idler  pulley,  will  not  change  the  position  of  the 
belt  on  the  pulley  to  any  extent.  It  must  be  put  tinder  the 
front  or  rear  part  to  accomplish  the  desired  result,  as  this  will 
divert  the  course  of  the  belt  slightly  on  its  way  to  the  pulley. 

Stack  Building  with  Wind  Stacker.  Where  it  is  desir- 
able to  stack  the  straw  so  as  to  preserve  it,  the  wind  stacker 
must- be  handled  by  a  competent  man.  In  starting  the  stack, 
bring  the  chute  about  level,  extend  it  to  its  full  length,  raise 
the  hood  slightly,  and  build  the  back  of  the  stack  first. 
Always  keep  the  farther  side  of  the  stack  highest.  Make 
the  Stack  bottom  at  least  one-third  smaller  than  would  be 
done  were  it  built  by  hand,  and  allow  the  straw  chute  to 
oscillate.  It  is  very  important  that  the  farther  side  of  the 
stack  be  kept  highest,  as  it  furnishes  a  back  wall  to  stop  the 
force  of  the  straw.  A  good  rule  to  follow  is:  "Always 
throw  the  straw  onto  the  stack  and  not  over  it."  In  topping 
out,  allow  the  straw  to  strike  the  top  and  glance  over  it;  in 
this  way  the  farther  side  of  the  stack  will  be  filled  out  and 
the  straw  will  be  prevented  from  rolling  down  or  going  over 
too  far.  When  the  straw  chute  is  at  the  corner  of  the 
stack,  raise  and  lower  hood  quickly,  thereby  distributing 
the  straw  and  binding  the  corner. 

Lubricating  the  Wind  Stacker.  Keep  the  bearings  of  the 
fan  and  jack  shafts  well  lubricated  with  hard  oil.  The  bevel- 
gears  must  be  kept  well  greased.  All  the  bearings  and  worm 
gears  of  the  automatic  device  for  swinging  the  straw  chute 
should  be  oiled. 


1 84  SCIENCE    OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

Speed  of  Stacker  Fan.  Ordinarily,  with  the  twenty-bar 
cylinder  running  at  750  revolutions,  a  twelve-inch  cylinder 
pulley  (A30iH),  should  be  used  on  separators  up  to  and 
including  the  58  inch  size.  This  gives  a  fan  speed  of  650 
revolutions  per  minute.  On  separators  with  62 '  or  66  inch 
rears,  a  larger  pulley  (A2Q6H,  thirteen  and  one-half  inches), 
should  be  used,  which  gives  a  fan  speed  of  720  revolutions 
per  minute.  With  the  twelve-bar  cylinder  running  at  its 
normal  speed  of  1075  revolutions,  the  eight  and  one-half 
inch  pulley  (Ai3oH),  will  give  the  fan  a  speed  of  665  revo- 
lutions per  minute.  It  is  desirable  to  keep  the  speed  of  the 
wind-stacker  fan  as  low  as  possible,  not  only  because  it 
makes  good  stack  building  easier,  but  also  because  it  requires 
less  power  to  run.  On  page  516  of  "Kent's  Pocket-Book"  an 
example  is  given  of  a  fan  which  took  .25  H.  P.  to  drive  at  a 
speed  of  600.  The  same  fan  required  .70  H.  P.,  or  nearly 
three  times  as  much  when  the  speed  was  increased  to  800. 

Combination-Stackers.  The  combination-stacker  has  been 
made  because  of  the  demand  for  a  stacker  that  would  give 
the  thresherman  all  the  advantages  of  the  simplicity  and 
freedom  from  litter  of  the  wind-stacker,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  give  the  farmer,  who  desires  to  have  his  straw  stacked 
by  men  placed  on  the  stack,  a  stacker  which  delivers  the 
straw  onto  the  stack  by  means  of  an  ordinary  carrier  and 
carrier-rake. 

Attaching,  the  Combination-Stacker.  Up  to  the  point 
of  putting  on  the  turret,  this  stacker  is  attached  in  the  same 


THE   STRAW    STACKERS  185 

manner  as  the  wind-stacker.  The  turret,  however,  which 
has  the  mechanism  for  driving  the  rake,  in  addition  to  the 
parts  used  on  the  wind-stacker,  is  attached  eight  inches 
higher  than  that  of  the  wind-stacker,  in  order  to  bring  the 
carrier  sufficiently  high  to  swing  clear  of  the  deck  of  the 
separator.  -Holes  are  provided  in  the  posts  of  the  frame 
for  attaching  the  turret  in  the  positions  required  by  either  the 
combination-  or  wind-stacker.  After  the  turret  is  in  place, 
and  the  two  sections  of  the  carrier  bolted  together,  the 
carrier  may  be  attached.  This  is  conveniently  done  by  plac- 
ing it  in  position  upon  the  deck  of  the  separator,  as  for  trans- 
portation. The  hoisting  cables,  sprockets,  chain,  hand- 
wheels  for  operating  and  the  carrier-rake  may  now  be  put  on. 
The  presser-strips  are  hinged  to  the  hinged-screen  at  one 
end,  their  outer  end  being  carried  by  leather  straps. 

Operating  the  Combination-Stacker.  This  stacker  re- 
ceives its  swing  movement  in  the  same  manner  as  the  wind- 
stacker.  The  trip-pins  which  determine  the  length  of  the 
swing  must  be  removed  before  attempting  to  swing  it  by 
means  of  the  hand-wheel.  The  hoisting  mechanism  is  self- 
locking  so  the  carrier  cannot  fall.  The  presser-strips  hold 
the  straw  against  the  carrier-rake,  thereby  making  it  possible 
to  elevate  the  carrier  to  an  angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees. 
The  carrier  should  always  be  swung  onto  the  deck  of  the 
separator  before  moving  the  machine  from  place  to  place. 
Stack-builders,  who  are  unfamiliar  with  this  stacker,  should 
be  cautioned  against  starting  the  stack  too  far  under  the  car- 


1 86  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

rier  as  it  does  not  pull  away  from  the  stack  until  elevated  to 
a  considerable  height. 

Oiling  the  Combination-Stacker.  The  bearings  of  the 
jack-  and  upright-shafts  are  fitted  with  compression-cups 
for  hard-oil.  These  may  be  turned  up  as  often  as  necessary 
to  give  sufficient  lubrication.  The  bevel-gears  driving  the 
fan  should  be  greased.  The  turret  mechanism  driving  the 
carrier-rake  should  be  oiled  occasionally.  The  intermediate- 
gear-ring,  and  the  two  small  pinions  meshing  with  it,  should 
be  greased. 


CHAPTER  X. 
THE  GRAIN  HANDLERS. 

,  HE  devices  used  to  take  the  grain  from  the 
grain  auger  and  deliver  it  into  sacks  or 
wagons,  as  the  case  might  be,  are  called 
"grain  handlers."  These  are  made  in  six 
styles,  some  of  which,  in  addition  to  elevat- 
ing the  grain,  .weigh  it  and  automatically 
record  the  number  of  bushels  threshed. 
The  weight  of  a,  given  quantity  of  grain  varies  according 
to  the  kind  and  quality.  Although  almost  universally  sold 
by  the  bushel,  the  number  of  bushels  is  determined  by  weight 
so  that  the  grain  is  actually  sold  by  the  pound.  For  example, 
if  the  price  of  wheat  be  one  dollar  per  bushel,  one  dollar  will 
purchase  sixty  pounds  of  wheat.  Sixty  pounds  of  heavy 
wheat  will  not  fill  a  bushel  measure,  but  this  weight  of 
light  wheat  will  more  than  fill  the  measure.  In  the  days 
when  there  were  no  grain  handlers,  and  the  grain  from  the 
separator  was  delivered  into  half-bushel  or  bushel  measures, 
it  was  usually  customary  to  give  "big  measure/'  By  this 
method,  were  a  farmer  to  sell  all  of  his  grain,  he  would 
receive  pay  for  a  greater  number  of  bushels  than  he  paid 
the  thresherman  for,  for  threshing  it.  This  custom  of  giv- 

,    187 


1 88  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

ing  "big  m'easure"  in  threshing,  undoubtedly  grew  out  of 
the  fact  that  it  was  necessary  to  heap  the  measure  in  order 
to  make  the  light  grain  "hold  out."  Since  the  measuring 
was  done  by  someone  who  looked  out  for  the  interests  of  the 
farmer  rather  than  those  of  the  thresherman,  the  measures 
were  usually  heaped  with  all  that  they  would  hold,  and  in 
some  cases,  even  tamped  in  order  to  make  them  hold  more. 
This,  of  course,  was  unfair  to  the  thresherman.  The  thresh- 
erman  should  insist  on  pay  for  every  bushel  by  weight,  as  he 
would  do,  were  he  selling*  the  grain.  When  engaging  the 
threshing,  he  should  tell  the  farmer  of  his  intention  to  do 
this,  and  then,  if  the  former  price  were  too  high,  it  might 
be  adjusted  accordingly.  Since  the  weighing  attachments 
accurately  weigh  and  automatically  record  the  number  of 
bushels  threshed,  all  fair  minded  men  must  admit  that  the 
use  of  one  insures  a  record  of  the  amount  threshed  that  is 
fair  to  both  thresherman  and  farmer.  The  prejudice  against 
weighers  that  has,  in  some  cases,  existed  because  of  the 
custom  of  giving  "big  measure"  has  gradually  disappeared 
until  they  have  come  into  almost  universal  use.  Their 
accuracy  was  at  first  often  doubted,  but  in  many  cases  the 
weigher's  record  of  a  certain  amount  of  grain  has  been 
compared  with  the  weight  of  the  same  grain  on  standard 
scales  and  found  to  correspond  very  closely. 

The  Number  One  Weigher  consists  of  an  elevator  per- 
manently attached  to  the  left  side  of  the  separator,  the 
weighing  apparatus,  and  a  conveyor  across  the  deck  of 


THE  GRAIN   HANDLERS. 


i89 


the  separator.    The  cross-conveyor  is  of  sufficient  height  to 
deliver  the  grain  into  a  wagon  box  on  either  side  of  the 

machine.  The 
purchaser  of  a 
Number  One 
weigher  is  given 
the  choice  of  two 
plain  spouts  for 
delivering  the 
grain  in  bulk  into 
wagon  boxes,  or 
of  the  bagging 
attachment  for 
delivering  the 
FIG.  49.  HEAD  OF  CASE  WEIGHER.  gradn  into  sacks. 
(This  bagging  attachment  has  twin-spouts  to  allow  putting 
on  the  empty  sack  before  removing  the  full  one).  The 
Number-One  weigher  requires  no  folding  for  moving  on  the 
road,  and  is  no  higher  than  any  other  part  of  the  separator. 
For  these  reasons  it  is  largely  used  in  localities  in  which  the 
threshing  is  clone  principally  in  and  around  barns.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  grain  handlers. 

The  Number  Two  Weigher  is  also  called  the  "Dakota 
style  weigher".  The  elevator  is  so  high  that  the  grain  is 
sufficiently  elevated  to  be  delivered  by  the  long  spout  on 

either  side  of  the  machine.     In  this  way  the  cross  conveyor 

it 
is  dispensed  with.     As  the  spout  is  long,  it  will  hold  con- 


igO  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

siderable  grain  so  that  the  exchange  of  sacks  may  be  made 
even  in  fast  threshing,  without  danger  of  choking  the  ele- 
vator by  obstructing  its  delivery.  The  grain  may  be  de- 
livered in  bulk  into  wagons  driven  along  side  the  separator 
as  the  end  of  the  spout  is  a  sufficient  distance  from  the 
separator  to  make  it  unnecessary  to  back  the  wagon  up  to 
the  machine.  Where  grain  is  to  be  sacked^  an  empty  sta- 
tionary wagon  may  be  used  to  sack  in,  thus  avoiding  the 
necessity  of  lifting  the  sacks  of  grain  into  the  wagon  which 
hauls  them  away.  The  long  spout  is  provided  with  hooks 
to  hold  the  sacks.  The  Number  Two  weigher  is  used  very 
generally  in  the  localities  where  the  threshing  is  done  in  the 
open  field.  It  is  the  only  suitable  grain-handler  for  use  in 
connection  with  portable-bins,  such  as  are  quite  generally 
Used  in  the  northwest.  The  spout  is  long  enough  to  deliver 
the  grain  into  these  bins  and  the  weighing  apparatus  auto- 
matically records  the  number  of  bushels  threshed. 

The  Number  Three  Weighing-Bagger.  This  attachment 
is  intended  for  use  in  putting  the  grain  into  sacks  on  the 
ground  and  it  can  only  be  used  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the 
separator.  It  has  the  same  weighing  mechanism  as  the 
Number  One  and  Number  Two  Weighers. 

The  Number  Four  Bagger.  This  grain-handler  does  not 
weigh  the  threshed  grain,  but  is  used  simply  to  elevate  it 
to  a  sufficient  height  to  run  into  sacks.  In  order  to  keep 
the  men  sacking  always  on  the  windward  or  clean  side  of  the 
separator,  it  is  often  desirable  to  change  the  bagger  from 


THE  GRAIN   HANDLERS.  19! 

one  side  to  the  other.  In  doing-  this,  it  is  also  necessary  to 
change  the  drive  to  the  other  side  as  the  belt  driving  must 
always  be  on  the  side  opposite  the  elevator.  The  direction 
in  which  the  auger  runs  must  also  be  reversed  and  this  is 
accomplished  by  running-  the  drive-belt  crossed,  when  the 
elevator  is  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  separator  and  straight, 
when  the  bagger  is  on  the  right-hand  side.  On  separators 
fitted  with  common  stackers,,  when  the  elevator  is  on  the 
right-hand  side,  pulley  No.  12237  should  be  used  on  the 
grain  auger,  and  pulley  No.  5297  on  the  top  of  the  tailings 
elevator;  when  the  elevator  is  on  the  hft-hand  side,  pulley 
No.  5297  should  be  used  on  the  grain-auger  and  pulley  No. 
I223T  on  the  tailings  elevator. 

The  Number  Five  Loader.  This  attachment  serves  the 
same  general  purpose  as  the  Number  Two  Weigher,  except 
that  it  does  hot  weigh  the  grain. 

The  Number  Six  Loader  is  similar  to  the  Number  One 
Weigher,  but  has  no  weighing  mechanism.  For  those  who 
desire  to  sack  on  the  ground  it  may  be  used  in  place  of  the 
Number  Four.  The  delivery  of  the  grain  may  be  changed 
from  one  side  of  the  separator  to  the  other  by  simply  throw- 
ing1 a  lever.  It  may  be  used  to  run  the  grain  into  a  wagon 
box  in  bulk  or  into  sacks  in  wagons  as  desired,  as  Was  ex- 
plained for  the  Number  One  Weigher. 

Attaching  Grains-Handlers.  All  of  the  "Case"  grain- 
handlers,  except  the  Number  Four,  require  a  left-hand  grain 
auger.  When  it  is  desired  to  attach  one  of  these  elevators 


IQ2  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING, 

to  separators  built  previous  to  the  year  of  1899,  which  were 
fitted  with  the  right-hand  grain  augers,  it  is  necessary  to 
replace  the  old  auger  by  a  left-hand  one,  or  the  attachment 
will  not  work.  The  Number  Four  Bagger  is  ordinarily  used 
with  a  left-hand  grain  auger,  but  it  may  be  used  with  light- 
hand  as  well.  To  do  this,  it  is  necessary  to  remove  the 
chain,  and  unbolt  and  reverse  either  the  head  or  the  boot. 

Caution  Regarding  the  Sprocket-Chain.  The  chain  in 
the  elevators  of  all  the  grain-handlers  must  be  kept  properly 
adjusted.  Since  they  are  driven  from  the  bottom,  when  the 
chain  is  too  loose,  it  does  not  hug  the  sprocket  properly  and 
wears  unnecessarily.  On  the  other  hand  the  chain  should  not 
be  so  tight  as  to  be  in  tension,  for  this  causes  unnecessary 
friction  and  the  consequent  wear  on  the  chain  and  shafts.  As 
the  chain  wears,  the  hook  of  each  link  may  be  closed  by  ham- 
mering its  point,  while  its  back  rests  on  the  horn  of  an  anvil 
or  similar  projection.  In  this  way  the  chain  may  be  kept 
free  from  danger  of  unhooking  until  worn  so  that  it  fails 
from  weakness.  When  necessary  to  shorten  the  chain,  al- 
ways remove  two  links  at  a  time  so  that  an  odd  number, 
three  or  five,  of  plain  links  remains  between  the  cups  or 
"flights,"  as  they  are  called.  This  is  necessary  because  the 
lower  sprocket  has  teeth  engaging  only  alternate  links  of  the 
chain  and  the  links  with  flights  attached  must  skip  the  teeth. 

Calculating  a  Quantity  of  Grain.  Where  a  weigher  is 
not  used,  the  amount  of  grain  in  a  wagon-box,  portable  bin 
or  in  any  rectangular  receptacle,  may  be  calculated  as  fol- 


THE  GRAIN   HANDLERS.  193 

lows:  Determine  the  length,  width  and  height  in  inches, 
multiply  them  together  and  divide  the  product  by  2150,  the 
number  of  cubic-inches  in  a  bushel.  The  quotient  will  be 
the  number  of  bushels.  Where  the  depth  is  not  uniform, 
several  measurements  should  be  taken  and  their  average 
used.  For  example,  the  usual  wagon-box  is  thirty-six  inches 
wide,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  inches  long  and  sixteen 
inches  deep.  Therefore,  when  level  full,  it  holds,  (36xi24x 
16)  divided  by  2150,  equals  33.22  bushels.  This  equals  2.07 
bushels  for  each  inch  in  depth.  In  the  same  manner,  the 
forty-inch  wagon-box  will  hold  (40x124x16)  divided  by 
2150,  equals  36.91  bushels,  or  2.37  bushels  for  each  inch  in 
depth.  This  method  of  calculating  the  quantity  of  grain 
gives  the  correct  result  only  when  the  grain  is  standard 
weight,  and  when  lighter  or  heavier,  correction  should  be 
made  accordingly.  The  weight  per  bushel  of  grain  and 
seeds  is  given  on  the  following  page. 


1.94 


SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


Weight  Per  Bushel  of  Grain.  The  following  table  gives 
the  number  of  pounds  per  bushel  required  by  law  or  custom 
in  the  sale  of  grain  or  seeds  in  the  several  states. 


^ 

ju 

1 

tn 

a 

I 

i 
Buckwheat 

| 

o 

H 

rt 

S 

<u 

3 

w 

"rt 
0 

V 
& 

Shelled  Corn 

Timothy 

Wheat 

Arkansas  

rlS 

60 

52 

60 

56 

5* 

45 

60 

California  
Connecticut  

50 

40 

45 

.... 

32 

^2 

54 
56 

52 

56 

60 
5^ 

Dist.  Columbia  .... 

47 

6? 

/|8 

60 

32 

56 

'56 

45 

60 

Georgia  

do 

60 

^5 

56 

56 

45 

60 

Illinois  

18 

60 

52 

60 

56 

45 

^2 

56 

56 

60 

Indiana            

/l8 

60 

en 

60 

-22 

^6 

S6 

45 

60 

Iowa  . 

18 

60 

e;2 

60 

56 

48 

^2 

56 

56 

45 

60 

Kansas  

so 

60 

SO 

^2 

5* 

5* 

45 

60 

Kentucky  

48 

60 

52 

60 

56 

32 

5* 

56 

45 

60 

Louisiana  
Maine  

32 
18 

"^1* 

'<i*' 

32 

^O 

56 
5* 

60 

60 

Manitoba.  
Maryland  .  .        .... 

48 
18 

*^i* 

48 
18 

60 

56 

34 

34 

^2 

56 

56 

56 

56 

45 

60 
60 

Massachusetts  

i8 

18 

32 

56 

S6 

60 

Michigan  

18 

-i8 

60 

5^ 

32 

56 

56 

4S 

60 

Minnesota  

48 

60 

42 

60 

48 

^2 

56 

56 

60 

Missouri  

48 

60 

52 

60 

56 

50 

32 

5* 

5* 

/is 

60 

Nebraska 

18 

60 

52 

60 

5* 

56 

45 

60 

New  York  

48 

6-> 

48 

60 

^2 

56 

5« 

44 

60 

New  Jersey 

18 

CQ 

64 

•20 

56 

56 

60 

New  Hampshire  .  . 

60 

3° 

56 

S6 

60 

North  Carolina  .... 
North  Dakota  
Ohio 

48 
48 

d8 

60 

50 
42 
"iO 

64 
60 
60 

'56' 



30 
32 
^2 

56 
56 
5° 

54 
56 
5* 

45 

60 
60 
60 

Oklahoma  
Oregon. 

48 
16 

42 

4? 

60 
60 

56 

.... 

32 

^6 

56 
56 

56 
56 

60 
60 

Pennsylvania  

47 

18 

6? 

3° 

56 

5* 

60 

South  Dakota  
South  Carolina  . 

48 
18 

60 

52 
56 

60 
60 

56 

50 

32 
^^ 

56 
56 

56 
5* 

60 
60 

Vermont  

18 

61 

48 

60 

32 

56 

56 

4* 

60 

Virginia 

48 

60 

18 

6/1 

12 

56 

5* 

45 

60 

West  Virginia  

18 

60 

52 

60 

32 

5* 

56 

4S 

60 

Wisconsin 

18 

18 

60 

12 

56 

56 

60 

CHAPTER  XI. 
LUBRICATION  AND  CARE  OF  THE  SEPARATOR. 


life  of  the  machine  depends  largely  upon 
the  thoroughness  of  its  lubrication.  A  light 
oil  with  good  wearing  qualities  should  be 
used.  Thin  oil  is  surer  to  reach  the  place  it 
is  intended  to  lubricate  than  thick,  heavy  oil. 
A  journal  is  more  apt  to  be  continually  lubri- 
cated when  a  small  amount  of  oil  is  applied 
frequently  than  when  a  great  deal  is  used  at  longer  intervals. 
Many  of  the  oil  boxes  on  the  machine,  as  for  example  those 
on  the  rock  shafts,  may  be  partly  filled  with  wool  or  cotton 
waste.  Either  will  keep  out  dirt  and  make  them  hold  oil 
longer.  This  wool  or  waste  should  be  renewed  at  the  be- 
ginning of  each  season  and  more  frequently  in  localities  in 
which  there  is  sand.  Use  a  nail  or  soft  wire  to  clean  out  oil 
holes,  for  if  a  piece  of  steel  be  used  when  shaft  is  running,  it 
is  liable  to  "score"  and  injure  the  journal. 

Hot  Bearings.  The  causes  of  hot  bearings  are  :  I  —  In- 
sufficient lubrication  because  of  too  little  or  too  poor  oil  or 
hole  being  stopped  up;  2  —  Dirt  or  grit  on  the  journal;  3— 
Box  too  tight;  4  —  Belt  too  tight;  5  —  Box  not  in  line  with 
shaft  ;  6  —  Collar  or  pulley  too  tight  against  end  of  box  ;  7  — 
Journal  rough  or  shaft  sprung.  In  case  a  box  heats,  cool 

J95 


196  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

with  water,  clean  the  oil  holes  carefully,  oil  liberally  and  if  it 
gets  hot  again,  stop  and  remove  the  cap,  clean  the  bearing 
carefully  and  be  sure  the  oil  holes  and  grooves  are  open  be- 
fore replacing  it.  Also  be  careful  to  leave  the  paper  liners 
undisturbed.  If  the  babbitt  has  adhered  to  the  shaft,  because 
of  overheating,  scrape  every  particle  of  it  from  the  shaft  with 
a  knife.  If  the  journal  has  been  cut  and  is  consequently 
rough  because  of  the  formation  of  ridges,  smooth  it  carefully 
with  a  fine  file  and  wipe  it  thoroughly  so  that  no  'filings  re- 
main. Oil  it  well  before  replacing  cap.  Because  of  the  ex- 
pansion due  to  heating,  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  shaft 
that  is  cutting  becomes  fast  in  its  box  so  that  it  will  not  turn. 
If  the  box  be  in  one  piece  so  there  is  no  cap  to  remove,  after 
cooling  with  water,  kerosene  may  be  applied  to  loosen  it.  In 
very  windy  weather  the  right  cylinder  box  requires  especial 
attention  as  the  constant  swaying  of  the  main-belt  causes  an 
extra  amount  of  friction  on  this  bearing. 

Greasing  the  Trucks.  This  book  would  be  incomplete 
without  a  word  of  warning  concerning  the  damage,  fre- 
quently caused  by  neglect,  to  the  skeins  and  hubs  of  the 
trucks  of  an  outfit.  To  make  the  lubrication  of  truck-wheels 
convenient,  in  some  cases,  the  hubs  are  provided  with  oil- 
holes  which  are  closed  with  plugs.  It  has  been  found,  how- 
ever, that  this  means  of  lubricating  cannot  be  relied  upon,  as 
the  holes  are  sure  to  become  clogged,  and  unless  great  care 
is  taken  in  cleaning  them,  very  little  or  no  oil  will  reach  that 
part  of  the  axle  which  needs  it  most.  All  truck-wheels 


LUBRICATION    AND    CARE   OF   THE   SEPARATOR.  197 

should  frequently  be  removed'  and  the  skein  cleaned  of  all 
caked  grease  and  dirt.  The  skein  should  then  be  well  coated 
with  axle-grease,  especially  near  the  large  end  which  has  the 
greatest  wear.  It  is  well  to  spread  some  machine-oil  over 
the  axle-grease.  The  separator  truck-wheels  especially 
should  have  frequent  attention,  as  the  dust  and  chaff  of 
threshing  quickly  dries  the  grease  or  oil.  A  good  operator 
will  not  permit  the  skeins  and  hubs  of  the  machinery  in  his 
care  to  be  injured  for  want  of  proper  lubrication. 

The  Care  of  a  Separator.  With  good  care  a  separator 
should  last  eight  or  ten  years,  and  there  are  many  Case 
machines  that  have  been"  in  use  twice  that  length  of  time. 
When  the  threshing  season  is  finished,  the  machine  should 
be  thoroughly  cleaned  an.d  housed  in  a  dry  place.  Dirt  that 
has  been  allowed  to  remain  on  the  machine  during  the  win- 
te-r,  holds  moisture,  ruins  varnish  and  paint,  rots  the  wood 
and  rusts  the  sieves  and  other  iron  parts.  The  appearance 
of  a  machine  usually  tells  a  truer  tale  of  its  condition  than 
the  number  of  years  it  has  been  run.  The  separator  should 
be  given  a  coat  of  good  coach  varnish  at  least  once  in  two 
years.  Before  applying  the  varnish,  the  paint  should  be 
thoroughly  cleaned  and  all  grease  and  oil  removed  with 

benzine. 

i 

Before   the    beginning   of   each    threshing   season,    the 

separator  should  be  carefully  overhauled,  worn  cylinder  teeth 
being  removed  and  all  broken  slats  in  the  straw-rack  or 
stacker-rakes  being  replaced.  Any  boxes  that  are  worn 


198  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

should  be  taken  up  or  rebabbitted  if  necessary.  The  wooden 
boxes  on  the  straw-rack,  conveyor  and  shoe  eccentrics  can 
easily  and  cheaply  be  replaced  when  worn  out.  All  nuts 
that  are  loose  should  be  tightened  and  any  bolts  that  may 
have  been  lost,  replaced.  In  tightening  a  nut  it  should 
always  be  turned;  square  with  the  piece  pn  which  it  rests. 
If  this  be  habitually  done,  not  only  does  the  machine  look 
better,  but  it  serves  to  make  the  loosening  of  a  nut  apparent. 

Canvas-Cover.  If  a  canvas  be  used  to  cover  the  separa- 
tor nights  and  when  not  running  during  the  threshing 
season,  its  appearance  will  amply  repay  the  extra  trouble 
and  expense,  in  addition  to  prolonging  its  usefulness. 

In  Laying  up  the  Machine  see  that  the  bolster  is  blocked 
up  by  bolster-jacks  or  other  means- so  as  to  hold  the  frame 
square.  This  is  especially  necessary  if  the  separator  has  a 
side-gear,  if  the  main-belt  remains  on  the  reel,  or,  if  for 
other  reasons,  one  side  is  heavier  than  the  other. 

Removing  the  Beater.  The  beater  can  be  taken  out  of  the 
machine  without  removing  the  shaft  or  pulley.  This  may  be 
done  on  wood-frame  machines  by  removing  the  pieces  of 
siding  and  the  bolts  holding  bearings  and  blocks  and  lifting- 
the  beater  straight  up.  On  steel  machines  the  girt  and 
circular  piece  of  sheet-steel  on  the  left-hand  side  are  removed 
and  the  beater  taken  out  through  the  hole  thus  created. 

To  Remove  Rock-Shafts.     The  rock-shafts  are  enlarged 

at  one  end  so  that  when  the  set-screws  are  loosened,  they 

• 

may  be  readily  removed.     The  front  rock-shaft  is  straight 


LUBRICATION    AND    CARE   OF   THE   SEPARATOR.  IQQ 

and  can  be  taken  out  at  the  left  side  of  the  machine  by 
simply  loosening  the  set-screws  in  the  vibrating-arms.  The 
rear  rock-shaft  is  bent  and  is  taken  out  by  loosening  the 
set-screws  and  moving  it  to  the  right  until  it  comes  out  of 
the  left-arm.  It  may  then  be  removed  by  sliding  it  towards 
the  left  side  of  the  machine. 

To  Remove  the  Straw-Rack.  Take  off  the  tailor-rack, 
pan  and  rock-shaft,  if  these  parts  be  on  the  machine.  Take 
off  the  four  straw-rack  boxes,  the  bolts  of  which  can  be 
.  easily  reached  with  a  socket-wrench  through  the  holes  for 
vibrating-arms.  The  rack  can  then  be  taken  out  through 
the  rear  of  the  machine.  On  separators  fitted  with  wind- 
stackers,  it  is  necessary  to  remove  the  rear  board. 

To  Remove  the  Conveyor.  If  the  straw-rack  be  already 
out,  simply  unbolt  the  four  boxes.  The  bolts  of  the  front 
ones  have  their  nuts  below  and  those  of  the  rear  ones  can 
be  reached  while  sitting  in  the  shoe.  To  remove  the  con- 
veyoir  without  taking  out  the  straw-rack,  disconnect  the 
latter  from  the  rear  rock-shaft,  raise  it  as  high  as  possible 
and  secure  it  in  this  position.  The  conveyor  can  then  be 
taken  out. 

To  Remove  the  Shoe.  The  shoe  can  be  taken  out  without 
removing  the  straw-rack  or  conveyor.  Take  out  the  rear 
rock-shaft,  raise  the  straw-rack  and  conveyor  as  high  as 
the  deck  will  allow  and  secure  them  in  this  position.  Dis- 
connect the  four  wood  hangers  and  pitmans  and  the  shoe 
may  then  be  taken  out. 


2OO  SCIENCE    OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

To  Reach  the  Fan.  The  lower  part  of  fan  housing  is 
readily  removed  when  it  is  necessary  to  reach  the  fan  for 
repairs  or  other  purposes.  Take  out  the  bolts  through  the 
end  segments  and  those  at  the  joint  on  the'  front  side  of 
the  drum. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
THE  BELTING  OF  A  SEPARATOR. 

,  HE  Belting  of  the  separator  should  be  care- 
fully looked  after,  as  the  working  of  the 
machine  depends  in  a  large  measure  upon 
the  condition  of  the  belts.  The  pulleys  must 
be  in  line,  to  insure  the  belt  running  on  them 
to  its  full  width.  Where  the  shafts  are  par- 
allel a  belt  will  always  run  to  the  tightest 
place  or  where  the  pulleys  are  largest.  For  this  reason,  all 
pulleys  on  the  separator  are  made  larger  in  the  middle 
"crowning"  as  it  is  called,  so  belts  will  tend  to  run  in  the 
center. 

The  separator  tender  should  look  over  the  belts  once 
each  day  and  re-lace  any  on  which  the  lacing  has  become 
worn.  This  will  prevent  the  necessity  of  stopping  to  repair 
a  belt  when  the  machine  should  be  running.  Some  thresher- 
men,  realizing  the  expense  of  delays,  carry  an  extra  set,  so 
that  in  case  anything  happens  to  any  belt  in  use,  the  extra 
one  may  be  put  on  and  the  work  immediately  continued. 
If  it  starts  to  rain  while  threshing,  the  separator  should  be 
stopped  at  once,  and  the  belts,  especially  the  leather  ones, 
put  under  cover  before  they  get  wet.  The  machine  will  run 
only  a  few  minutes  in  the  rain  before  the  belts  begin  to  slip 


202  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

and  come  off,  and  it  is  best  to  stop  in  time  and  keep  them 
in  good  condition  to  start  again. 

Leather  Belts.  All  leather  belts  should  be  run  hair  side 
to  the  pulley.  Some  years  ago  mechanics  and  engineers 
disagreed  as  to  which  side  of  the  leather  should  be  next  to 
the  pulley,  but  it  has  been  shown  that  belts  last  longer  and 
transmit  more  power  when  run  hair  side  to  the  pulley.  The 
reason  is  that  the  flesh  side  is  more  flexible  and  will  more 
readily  accommodate  itself  to  the  curve  of  the  pulley.  If 
the  more  rigid  hair  side  be  obliged  to  stretch  every  time  it 
goes  around  a  pulley,  it  will  crack,  in  time.  When  leather 
belts  become  hard,  they  should  be  softened  with  neatsfoot  oil, 
for  a  flexible  belt  will  transmit  more  power  than  a  hard,  stiff 
one.  The  mineral  oils  used  for  lubricating  purposes  rot 
leather  rapidly  and  consequently,  belts  should  be  kept  as 
free  from  them  as  possible. 

A  Rubber  Belt  should  always  be  put  on  with  the  seam, 
which  is  near  the  center,  and  covered  with  a  narrow  strip  of 
rubber,  on  the  outside,  and  not  next  to  the  pulley.  The 
cleaner  a  rubber  belt  is  kept,  the  better.  No  dressing  of 
any  kind  should  be  used.  Anything  of  a  sticky  nature  adher- 
ing to  it,  will  have  a  tendency  to  pull  off  the  outer  coating 
of  rubber  and  greatly  injure  the  belt.  Oils  of  all  kinds 
should  be  carefully  avoided,  and  should  a  rubber  belt  acci- 
dentally become  covered  with  oil,  it  is  best  to  wash  it  off 
with  soap  and  water.  The  best  place  to  store  rubber  belts  is 
in  the  cellar,  as  dampness  and  darkness  tend  to  preserve  them 


THE   BELTING   OF   A    SEPARATOR.  2O%3 

while  light,  especially  direct  sunlight,  and  extreme  dryness 
tend  to  rot  the  rubber. 

The  Main  Belt  is  usually  of  rubber  or  stitched  canvas  in 
widths  of  six,  seven  or  eight  inches,  and  made  endless  in 
lengths  of  120,  150  or  160  feet.  The  object  in  having  it  so 
long  is  to  place  the  engine  far  enough  from  the  grain  to  be 
safe  from  fire.  Accordingly,  the  120  foot  length  may  be  used 
when  the  fuel  is  coal,  but  when  burning  wood  or  straw,  the 
longer  lengths  should  be  used.  The  usual  arrangement  of 
the  stacks  in  the  locality  the  rig  is  to  operate  in,  must  also 
be  taken  into  consideration  in  choosing  the  length  of  belt. 
With  the  engine  having  a  forty  inch  fly-wheel  and  running 
at  250  revolutions  per  minute,  the  main  belt  will  travel  2625 
feet,  or  almost  exactly  one-half  mile  in  a  minute.  A  belt 
has  a  greater  tendency  to  slip  on  the  smaller  of  the  two  pul- 
leys over  which  it  runs  and  for  this  reason,  the  cylinder  pul- 
ley is  covered  with  leather  or  similar  material.  When  the 
cover  is  worn  out,  a  new  one  should  be  put  on  as  no  main 
belt  will  pull  well  on  a  bare  cylinder  pulley.  Rubber  belts 
pull  well  at  all  times,  and  do  not  require  dressing,  in  fact, 
any  dressing  is  injurious,  because  it  has  a  tendency  to  pull 
off  the  outer  coating  of  rubber.  To  obtain  the  best  results, 
stitched  canvas  belts,  however,  should  be  treated  to  a  coat 
of  dressing  once  in  about  thirty  days.  Linseed  oil  paint  is 
often  used,  and  it  is  better  than  no  dressing  at  all,  but  the 
regular  dressing  sold  for  this  purpose  is  preferable,  as  it 
keeps  the  belt  waterproof  and  pliable  and  greatly  increases 
its  power  transmitting  qualities. 


2O4  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

Lacing  a  Belt.  Many  make  a  mistake  in  thinking  that 
the  heavier  and  stronger  a  lacing  is  made,  the  more  durable 
it  will  be.  This  leads  them  to  make  the  lacing  so  thick  and 
clumsy  that  the  belt  is  strained  in  going  around  the  pulleys, 
causing  the  lace  to  wear  out  in  a  short  time  and  probably  the 
belt  to  be  torn  between  the  holes.  A  good  lacing  is  as  sim- 
ilar as  possible  to  the  rest  of  the  belt,  so  that  it  passes  over 
the  pulleys  without  shock  or  jar.  To  lace  a  belt  begin  by 
cutting  off  the  ends  of  the  belt  square,  using  a  try-square  for 
this  purpose  on  the  wider  belts.  Use  a  punch  small  enough 
so  that  the  lacing  will  fill  the  holes,  but  will  not  pull  in  so 
tightly  as  to  tear  the  belt.  Space  the  holes  equally  across 
the  belt,  leaving  the  outside  holes  far  enough  (about  one- 
half  inch),  from  the  edge  of  the  belt  to  prevent  the  possibility 
of  their  tearing  out.  The  cuts  at  top  of  page  206  show  the 
position  of  the  holes  for  the  common  widths  of  belts.  In  a 
leather  belt  the  holes  may  be  quite  near  the  end  (/4  to  fys 
inches),  without  tearing  out,  and  when  so  placed  the  belt  will 
pass  smoothly  over  the  pulleys.  A  belt  is  much  more  apt 
to  break  or  tear  between  the  holes  than  it  is  to  tear  from  the 
holes  to  the  end. 

The  belt  of  a  stacker-web  laced  by  turning  up  the  ends  of 
the  belt  is  shown  by  A  and  B  of  Fig.  50.  Any  rubber  or 
stitched  canvas  belt  that  does  not  run  over  idler  or  tightener 
pulleys,  causing  both  sides  of  the  belt  to  be  in  contact  with 
pulleys,  may  be  laced  in  this  way.  For  these  this  lacing  has 
the  advantage  of  lasting  two  or  three  times  as  long  as  the 


THE   BELTING   OF  A   SEPARATOR.  2O$ 

ordinary  one.  The  reason  is  that  the  lace  is  not  exposed  to 
wear  and  the  belt  will  pass  around  the  smallest  pulley  without 
straining  either  holes  or  lace  leather.  If  trouble  be  experi- 
enced in  keeping  an  old  main  belt  laced,  this  method  may  be 
used  with  success. 

A  four-inch  belt  laced  in  the  ordinary  manner  is  shown 
by  C  and  D.  The  side  shown  in  C  should  run  next  to  the 
pulley.  The  lacing  shown  on  the  next  page  is  very  satisfac- 
tory where  a  belt  passes  over  small  pulleys  or  idlers,  for  it 
bends  easily  in  either  direction.  It  is  therefore  very  durable 
and  satisfactory  for  a  rubber  or  stitched  canvas  wind  stacker 
belt.  Also  the  belt  driving  beater  and  crank  should  be 
laced  this  way,  but  as  this  is  of  leather,  the  holes  may  be 
nearer  the  end  than  in  the  cut,  which  shows  the  spacing  for 
rubber  or  stitched  canvas. 

The  holes  to  fasten  the  ends  should  be  punched  in  line 
with  the  lace-holes  so  that  they  will  be  in  the  right  place 
when  the  belt  is  cut  off  and  they  become  lace  holes.  The 
best  way  to  fasten  an  end  is  to  draw  it  into  a  small  hole, 
then  back  through  the  same  hole,  cutting  off  the  end  to  leave 
about  one-half  inch.  New  belts  stretch  considerably  the  first 
few  days  and  the  ends  of  the  lacing  should  not  be  cut  off 
short  until  the  stretch  is  taken  out  of  the  belts,  so  the  same 
lacing  may  be  used  for  re-sewing.  If  the  belts  have  become 
wet  and  shrunk,  the  lacings  should  be  let  out  before  putting 
them  on.  If  very  tight,  they  cause  undue  friction  on  the 


206 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


bearings,  making  them  heat.     Then,   too,  tight  belts  have 
been  known  to  break  off  a  shaft. 


FT  r 


FIG.    SO.      LEATHER  BELT   LACINGS. 

Lacing  Stitched  Canvas  Belt.  A  stitched  canvas  belt, 
though  highly  satisfactory  in  other  respects,  is  often  con- 
demned because  the  lacing  will  not  hold.  It  can,  however, 


THE   BELTING   OF  A   SEPARATOR. 


207 


be  laced  in  several  ways  that  are  satisfactory.  In  any  event, 
the  holes  for  the  lacing  must  be  made  with  an  awl  and  not 
with  a  hollow  punch,  which  cuts  off  many  strands  and 
greatly  weakens  the  belt.  The  tine  of  an  old  pitchfork  makes 
a  very  good  awl  for  this  purpose  and  the  oval  shape  will  be 
found  convenient.  The  holes  must  not  be  nearer  the  end 
than  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  or  nearer  the  edge  than  five- 
eighths  of  an  inch. 

The  lacing  illustrated  we  believe  the  best  for  canvas 
stitched  belts,  and  we  advise  any  thresherman  having  the 
running  of  these  belts  in  charge  to  practice  making  this  lac- 
ing some  rainy  day  until  he  can  make  it  without  difficulty. 
It  is  a  hinge  lacing  which  allows  it  to  pass  around  small 
pulleys  and  tighteners  without  straining.  The  ends  of  the 
belt  are  protected  against  fraying.  In  the  example  illustrated, 
there  are  twenty-eight  strands  of  lacing  connecting  two  ends 
of  the  belt. 

The        illustrations 
show  a  5-inch  belt,  the 
size   used   to    drive   the 
wind  stacker.    To  make 
this  lacing,  first  select  a 
good  lace,  not  too  thick, 
three-eighths  of  an  inch 
wide  and  7  feet  8  inches 
long    for    5-inch    belt.      Lay   out    the    holes    as    shown    in 
Fig.    51.    Begin  at  one  edge  of  the  belt,  passing  the  lace  up 


Fla 


LOCATION  QF  HQLES  FQR 
LACING  CANVAS  BELT. 


2o8 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


through  the  outside  hole  in  one  end  and  then  down  between 
the  ends  of  the  belt  and  up  through  the  hole  in  the  other  end 
of  belt.  Notice  that  the  lace  passes  twice  through  each  hole. 
When  the  ends  of  the  lace  have  been  put  through  the  holes, 
both  must  be  passed  between  the  ends  of  the  belt  to  the 


C  D 

FIG.    52.       STITCHED   CANVAS  BELT   LACINGS 

opposite  side  as  shown  in  A.  When  this  is  done,  put  the 
ends  through  the  same  holes  again,  then  pass  them  both 
between  the  ends  of  the  belt  to  opposite  side  as  at  B, 
One  end  should  not  be  put  through  two  holes  in  succession 
and  both  ends  of  the  lace  must  be  passed  through  between 


THE  BELTING  OF  A   SEPARATOR. 

the  ends  of  the  belt  to  the  opposite  side  before  either  is  put 
through  the  hole. 

Continue  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  at  C,  until  the 
lacing  is  finished  as  shown  in  D.  When  lacing  is  complete 
the  appearance  is  exactly  the  same  on  both  sides,  the 
straight  strands  being  on  one  end  of  the  belt  on  one  side, 
and  on  the  other  end  on  the  opposite  side.  Care  must 
be  taken  to  keep  lacing  as  near  the  same  tension  through- 
out the  width  as  possible,  so  that  one  edge  will  not  be 
tighter  than  the  other,  in  which  case  the  belt  would  be 
crooked  and  not  run  true.  For  the  same  reason  a  try- 
square  should  be  used  in  cutting  off  the  ends  of  the  belt, 


2IO 


SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 


BELTS   FOR   CASE   SEPARATORS. 


NAME; 

i2-Bar  or 
2o-Bar 

Steel  or 
Wood 

Material 

Width 

A 
§ 

U 

^ 

18'    4" 
16'  n" 

1  6'      2" 

19'  11" 
18'    6" 
14'  IE" 

15'   2K" 
II'  IIJ£" 

12'    3" 

4'  ii  tf" 
5'    3" 

14'    4" 
15'    4" 

8'      2" 

34'  10" 
36'    6" 
38'    o" 
28'    o" 
27'    o" 
28'    7" 
37'    o" 
35'    5" 
38'    6" 
28'     3" 
3o'    o" 
ii'  ii" 
ii'    9" 
13'    4" 

Crank  and  Beater  

2o-Bar 
12-Bar 
12-Bar 
2O-Bar 
12-Bar 
Both 
2o-Bar 
12-Bar 
i2-Bar 
2o-Bar 
20-Bar 
20-Bar 
i2-Bar 
2o-Bar 
Both 
12-Bar 
2o-Bar 
20-Bar 
Both 
i2-Bar 
2,o-Bar 
20-Bar 
12-Bar 
20-Bar 
Both 
Both 
Both 
12-Bar 
20-Bar 
Both 
Both 
12-Bar 
20-Bar 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 

Both 
Steel 
Wood 

Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 

I  Leather 

Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Leather 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Rubber 
Leather 
Leather 
Rubber 
Rubber 

6" 

4" 

4" 

4" 

4" 

2X" 
2^" 

*y*" 

2^" 

2" 
2" 

4" 

? 

5" 
5" 

f 
5" 

f 
P 

5" 

2" 

2" 
2" 

2^" 
2^" 

4" 
4" 
4" 

2" 

2^" 

3" 
3" 

Crank  and  Beater  

Crank  and  Beater  

Fan  

Both 
Both 
Both 
Steel 
Steel 
Wood 
Both 
Steel 
Wood 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Steel 
Wood 
Steel 
Wood 
Wood 
Steel 
Both 
Wood 
Steel 
Wood 
Steel 
Wood 
Wood 
Steel 
Wood 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 
Both 

Fan  

Elevator  

Klevator  .           » 

Grain  Auger  

Grain  Auger  j 

Shoe  Shake  

Shoe  Shake  

Feeder  Drive  

Feeder  Drive  

Feeder,  small  

Wind  Stacker  Drive  

Wind  Stacker  Drive  

Wind  Stacker  Drive  

Wind  Stacker  Drive,  geared  
Wind  Stacker  Drive,  geared  
Wind  Stacker  Drive,  geared  
Combined  Stacker  Drive.  .  . 

Combined  Stacker  Drive  

Combined  Stacker  Drive  ...... 
Combined  Stacker  Drive,  geared 
Combined  Stacker  Drive,  geared 
Wind  Stacker  Turret  Drive  
Wind  Stacker  Turret  Drive. 

Wind  Stacker  Turret  Drive  

Combined  Stacker  Turret  Drive 
CombinecTStacker  Turret  Drive 
Attached  Stacker  Drive 

14'  10" 
1  6'    6" 
31'    o" 
32'    8" 
25'    5" 
6'    5" 
19'     2" 

22'      3" 

35'    o" 

*n 

Attached  Stacker  Drive  

Attached  Stacker  Drive,  geared. 
Attached  Stacker,  short  

Attached  Stacker,  long  

Common  Stacker  

Independent  Stacker  

CHAPTER  XIII. 
THE  PULLEYS  OF  A  SEPARATOR. 

ULLEYS  are  usually  held  in  place  on  the 
shafts  either  by  taper-keys  or  by  set-screws. 
Sometimes  straight  keys  or  "feather"  keys, 
as  they  are  called,  are  used,  but  as  these  only 
prevent  the  pulley  from  turning,  set-screws 
or  other  means  must  be  used  to  secure  the 
pulley  against  sliding  on  the  shaft.  When 
used  with  feather-keys,  set-screws  are  placed  so  their  points 
rest  on  the  key  and  thus  do  not  score  or  mar  the  shaft. 

Taper  Keys.  A  taper  key  when  properly  fitted,  holds  a 
pulley  very  securely.  To  do  this,  however,  such  a  key  must 
be  the  same  width  throughout  its  length  and  accurately  fit 
the  slots  or  "seats"  cut  for  it  on  the  shaft  and  in  the  pulley. 
The  thickness  should  vary  to  correspond  with  that  of  the 
key-way  in  the  pulley.  A  key  should  be  driven  in  hard 
enough  to  be  safe  against  working  loose,  but  when  well 
fitted,  it  is  not  necessary  to  drive  it  so  hard  that  it  may  not 
be  readily  removed.  The  hubs  of  most  of  the  pulleys  on  the 
machine  run  against  the  boxes,  and  in  keying  these,  about 
1/32  of  an  inch  end  play  should  be  allowed  the  shaft,  to 
prevent  danger  of  heating  from  the  pulley  rubbing  too  hard 
against  the  end  of  the  box.  A  key  that  is  too  thin,  but  other- 


212  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL    THRESHING. 

wise  fits  properly  may  be  made  tight  by  putting  a  strip  of 
tin  or  sheet-iron  between  it  and  the  bottom  of  the  way  in  the 
pulley. 

Drawing  Taper  Keys.  A  taper  key  can  usually  be  re- 
moved by  driving  the  pulley  toward  the  thin  end  of  the  key. 
Often,  however,  the  pulley  cannot  be  driven  a  sufficient  dis- 
tance to  loosen  the  key  because  of  its  coming  against  a  box 
or  another  pulley.  If  the  end  of  the  key  projects  beyond  the 
hub,  it  may  be  removed  by  catching  it  with  a  pair  of  horse- 
shoe pinchers  and  prying  with  them  against  the  hub,  at  the 
same  time  hitting  the  hub  with  a  hammer  so  as  to  drive  pulley 
on.  Sometimes  the  end  of  a  key  may  be  caught  with  a  claw 
hammer  and  loosened  by  driving  on  the  hub  of  pulley  as 
explained.  If  a  pulley  is  against  the  box  and  key  cut  off  flush 
with  the  hub,  it  may  be  necessary  to  remove  the  shaft,  drive 
the  pulley  on  until  the  key  loosens  or  if  key-seat  be  long 
enough,  a  "drift"  may  be  used  from  the  inside. 

Covering  Pulleys.  The  smaller  pulleys  on  which  the 
belts  are  likely  to  slip  are  covered  or  lagged  with  leather  or 
other  similar  material.  The  important  thing  in  covering 
any  pulley  is  to  get  the  leather  tight,  because  it  will  soon 
come  off  if  there  be  any  slack  in  it. 

Najled  Covers.  Some  pulleys  are  cast  with  recesses  in 
their  rims  for  the  insertion  of  wooden  wedges.  These  pul- 
leys are  easily  lagged  because  the  covers  are  fastened,  simply 
by  nailing  to  the  wooden  wedges.  To  re-cover  a  pulley 
fitted  with  wooden  wedges,  take  off  what  remains  of  the  old 


THE  PULLEYS  OF  A  SEPARATOR.          213 

cover,  pull  out  the  nails  and  renew  the  wedges  if  necessary. 
Select  a  good  piece  of  leather  a  little  wider  than  face  of 
pulley  and  about  four  inches  longer  than  the  distance 
around.  Soak  it  in  water  about  an  hour.  Cut  off  one  end 
square  and  nail  it  to  one  pair  of  the  wedges,  using  nails  just 
long  enough  to  clinch.  To  stretch  the  leather,  use  a  clamp 
made  of  two  pieces  of  wood  and  two  bolts.  Block  the  shaft 
to  keep  it  from  turning,  and  stretch  the  leather  by  prying 
over  the  clamp  with  two  short  levers.  The  leather  should 
not  be  stretched  around  the  whole  pulley  at  once,  but  the 
clamp  should  be  so  placed  that  there  is  only  sufficient  room 
to  nail  to  the  next  pair  of  wedges.  Now  move  the  clamp 
and  nail  to  each  pair  of  wedges  in  turn,  finally  nailing  the 
leather  again  to  the  first  pair  before  cutting  off.  Trim  the 
edges  even  with  the  rim  of  the  pulley. 

Riveted  Covers.  The  same  method  of  stretching  the 
leather  by  means  of  a  clamp  may  be  used  on  pulleys  with 
riveted  covers  or  they  can  be  covered  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  Soak  the  leather  in  water  for  an  hour.  Cut  off  one  end 
square,  and  rivet  it  on.  Then  draw  the  leather  around  the 
pulley  and  mark  the  next  two  pairs  of  holes.  Punch  holes 
in  the  leather  a  little  back  of  the  marks  made  by  the  first 
pair  of  holes  and  a  little  farther  back  of  the  marks  made  by 

the  second  pair  of  holes.     Insert  the  points  of  two  scratch 

« 
awls  through  the  second  pair  of  holes  in  the  leather  and  into 

the  corresponding  holes  in  the  pulley  rim.  Using  scratch 
awls  as  levers,  draw  the  leather  very  tight  and  the  first  pair 


214  SCIENCE    OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

of  rivets  may  be  easily  inserted.  Move  the  awls  to  the  third 
pair  of  holes,  insert  the  second  pair  of  rivets  and  so  on  around 
the  pulley.  The  tines  of  an  old  pitchfork  drawn  down  a  little 
at  the  points  and  tempered  make  very  suitable  scratch  awls 
for  this  purpose. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
BABBITTING   BOXES. 

.  O  babbitt  any  kind  of  a  box,  first  chip  out  all 
of  the  old  babbitt  and  clean  the  shaft  and  box 
thoroughly  with  benzine  or  gasoline.  It  is 
necessary  that  the  box  be  perfectly  clean  or 
gas  will  be  formed  from  the  grease  when 
the  hot  metal  is  poured  in  and  leave  "blow 
holes." 

A  Solid  Box  may  be  babbitted  in  the  field  by  covering 
the  shaft  with  paper,  draw  it  smooth  and  fasten  the  lapped 
ends  with  mucilage.  If  this  be  not  done  the  shrinkage  of  the 
metal  in  cooling  may  make  it  fast  so  that  the  shaft  cannot 
be  turned.  When  this  happens  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to 
put  the  shaft  and  box  together  in  the  fire  to  melt  the  babbitt 
or  else  break  the  box  to  get  it  off.  Paper  around  the  shaft 
will  prevent  this  and  if  taken  out  when  the  babbitt  has 
cooled,  the  shaft  will  be  found  to  be  just  loose  enough  to 
run  well.  The  shaft  is  sometimes  covered  with  smoke  or 
painted  with  white  lead  as  a  substitute  for  paper.  The  usual 
shop  practice  in  manufacturing  is  to  use  a  mandrel  or  arbor 
from  one  one-hundredth  to  one  sixty-fourth  of  an  inch 
larger  than  the  shaft  to  be  run  in  the  bearing. 

Before  pouring  the  box,  block  up  the  shaft  until  it  is 

215. 


2l6  SCIENCE    OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING.     - 

in  line  and  in  center  of  the  box  and  put  stiff  putty  around 
the  shaft  against  the  ends  of  the  box  to  keep  the  babbitt  from 
running  out.  Be  sure  to  leave  air-holes  at  each  end  on  top, 
making  a  little  funnel  of  putty  around  each.  Also  make  a 
larger  funnel  around  the  pouring  hole,  or,  if  there  be  none, 
enlarge  one  of  the  air-holes  and  pour  into  it.  These  putty 
funnels  should  extend  a  little  above  the  box  so  as  to  give 
pressure  to  the  babbitt  and  to  allow  the  metal  to  fill  in,  as  it 
shrinks  in  cooling.  The  metal  should  be  heated  until  it  is 
just  hot  enough  to  run  freely  and  the  fire  should  not  be  too 
far  away.  When  ready  to  pour  the  box,  do  not  hesitate  or 
stop,  but  pour  continuously  and  rapidly  until  the  metal  ap- 
pears at  the  air  holes.  The  oil  hole  may  be  stopped  with  a 
wooden  plug  and  if  this  plug  extends  through  far  enough 
to  touch  the  shaft,  it  will  leave  a  hole  through  the  babbitt  so 
that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  drill  one. 

A  Split  Bo.v  is  babbitted  in  the  same  manner  except  that 
strips  of  cardboard  or  sheet-iron  are  placed  between  the  two 
halves  of  the  box  and  against  the  shaft  to  divide  the  babbitt. 
To  allow  the  babbitt  to  run  from  the  upper  half  to  the  lower, 
cut  four  or  six  V  shaped  notches,  a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep, 
in  the  edges  of  the  sheet-iron  or  cardboard  which  touch  the 
shaft.  Insert  three  or  four  thicknesses  of  cardboard  called 
"liners"  between  the  halves  of  the  box  to  allow  for  taking 
up  wear.  Bolt  the  cap  on  securely  before  pouring.  When 
the  babbitt  has  cooled,  break  the  box  apart  by  driving  a  cold 
chisel  between  the  halves.  Trim  off  the  sharp  edges  of  the 


BABBITTING  BOXES.  217 

babbitt  and  with  a  round-nose  chisel  cut  oil  grooves  from  the 
oil  hole  toward  the  ends  of  the  box  and  on  the  slack  side  of 
the  box  or  the  one  opposite  to  the  direction  in  which  the 
belt  pulls.  The  shaft  may  be  covered  with  paper,  as  ex- 
plained for  a  solid  box,  but  if  this  be  not  done,  the  babbitt 
should  be  scraped  to  fit  the  shaft. 

The  ladle  should  hold  eight  or  ten  pounds  of  babbitt 
metal.  If  much  larger  it  is  awkward  to  handle  and  if  too 
small  it  fwill  not  keep  the  metal  hot  long  enough  to  pour  a 
good  box.  A  cast-iron  ladle  will  keep  the  metal  hot  longer 
than  a  wrought-iron  or  steel  one.  The  20  bar  cylinder  boxes 
each  take  about  six  pounds  of  metal,  and  the  12  bar  cylinder 
boxes  each  take  two  to  three  pounds.  If  no  putty  is  at 
hand,  clay  mixed  to  the  proper  consistency,  may  be  used. 
Use  the  best  babbitt  you  can  obtain  for  the  cylinder  boxes. 


a 
.2 

Q 


£££'3 


y  O  O  0  O 
5  6  O*  o" 


-  <U  <U  <U  <L>  ([; 
rO  tO  O  O\  to 


CO   O\  rOvO  OO  00   COOO   IO 


CHAPTER  XV. 
THE  WASTE  IN  THRESHING. 

,  HERE  is  not  a  machine  built  at  the  present 
time  that  will  save  every  kernel  in  all  kinds 
and  conditions  of  grain.  The  Case  will  sep- 
arate the  grain  from  the  straw  as  well  as 
any  machine  made,  but  to  accomplish  the  best 
results  it  must  be  properly  operated.  When 
one  detects  a  machine  wasting  grain  he 
usually  imagines  that  the  quantity  wasted  amounts  to  many 
times  more  than  it  actually  does.  If  a  stream  of  wheat  as 
large  as  that  which  runs  out  of  a  grain-drill  tooth  were  dis- 
covered going  into  the  straw  the  farmer  would  probably  say 
that  the  machine  was  wasting  half  the  grain.  Yet  he  knows 
that  he  must  drive  very  fast  to  get  a  bushel  and  a  half  of 
wheat  through  each  grain  drill  tooth  in  a  day.  Roughly 
speaking,  there  are  600  handfuls  or  a  million  kernels  of  wheat 
in  a  bushel.*  This  amount  wasted  in  ten  hours  indicates 
that  a  handful  or  1700  kernels  is  being  wasted  every  minute. 
If  farmers  realized  the  economy  of  finishing  a  job  as  quickly 
as  possible,  irrespective  of  the  grain  lost,  they  would  not 
attach  so  much  importance  to  the  small  amount  ordinarily 
wasted. 


*In  the  "Thresher  World"  contest  of  August  1903,   the  bushel  of 
wheat  counted  contained  869,762  kernels. 


219 


22O  SCIENCE   OF    SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

However,  it  is  true  that  any  separator  will  waste  con- 
siderable grain  if  improperly  operated.  When  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  a  machine  is  wasting  more  than  it  should, 
first  determine  whether  the  grain  is  being  carried  over  in  the 
chaff  or  in  the  straw. 

If  the  Waste  be  at  the  Shoe,  catch  some  of  the  chaff  from 
the  conveyor  sieve  and  if  grain  be  found,  see  that  the  sieve 
is  properly  adjusted  for  the  kind  of  grain  being  threshed. 
If  a  common  sieve  be  used,  it  should  be  coarse  enough  for 
the  grain  and  its  lips  should  be  sufficiently  bent  open.  Too 
high  a  speed  will  cause  grain  to  be  carried  over  the  conveyor 
sieve.  Do  not  use  any  more  concave  teeth  than  are  neces- 
sary as  the  extra  amount  of  chaff  makes  difficult  work  for 
the  sieves.  See  that  the  blinds  are  adjusted  so  that  the  blast 
is  no  stronger  than  is  necessary  to  clean  the  grain  and  keep 
the  sieves  working  freely.  If  grain  be  still  detected,  open  the 
adjustable  conveyor  sieve  a  little  more.  It  should  not  be 
opened  so  much,  however,  as  to  overload  the  shoe  sieve.  The 
wind-board  should  throw  the  strongest  blast  about  half  way 
back  on  the  conveyor  sieve.  Carrying  "traps"  in  the  fan 
drum  is  liable  to  bend  down  this  board  which  in  some  cases 
becomes  so  sagged  that  some  kernels  slide  over  it  into  the  fan, 
are  struck  by  the  fan  wings  and  thrown  entirely  out  of  the 
machine. 

//  waste  be  caused  by  failure  to  separate  the  grain  from 
the  straw,  first  see  that  the  speed  of  the  crank  is  230.  The 
cause  may  be  poor  feeding  which  produces  "slugging"  of  the 


THE    WASTE    IN  THRESHING.  221 

cylinder  and  the  resultant  variable  motion.  See  that  the 
check-board,  is  properly  adjusted.  The  cylinder  and  concave 
teeth  must  be  kept  in  good  order  so  that  the  grain  will  all  be 
threshed  from  the  heads  and  the  straw  cut  up  as  little  as  pos- 
sible. When  heads  missed  by  the  cylinder  are  threshed  out 
by  the  wind  stacker  fan  the  machine  is  often  criticised  for 
poor  separation  when  the  trouble  is  actually  caused  by  a 
neglected  cylinder  and  concaves. 

The  set  of  the  fish-backs  on  the  straw-rack  increase  the 
separating  capacity.  They  are  nailed  to  the  risers  of  the 
straw-rack,  two  on  the  first  riser  back  of  the  beater,  three  to 
the  next  and  four  to  the  last  riser. 

Why  it  is  difficult  to  separate  grain  from  straw.  Straw 
and  grain  to  the  full  capacity  of  the  cylinder  pass  through 
the  concave  teeth  at  the  rate  of  about  one  mile  (5280  feet) 
per  minute,  and  after  passing  the  check-board  the  straw  rack 
moves  the  straw  about  102  feet  per  minute.  At  these  three 
different  speeds  the  straw  passes  the  length  of  the  machine, 
(about  14  feet  8  inches  counting  risers,  or  13  feet  4  inches 
straight),  in  approximately  ten  seconds.  The  intermingled 
straw  and  grain  move  in  the  same  direction  and  at  the  same 
rate  of  speed.  The  problem  of  separation  is,,  then,  to  check 
and  divert  the  course  of  the  grain,  at  the  same  time  allowing 
the  straw  to  continue  its  passage  through  the  machine.  If 
the  grain  be 'not  interrupted  in  its  course,  it  will  pass  out  with 
the  straw,  while  clogging  will  result  if  the  movement  of  the 
straw  be  arrested  for  even  a  second. 


222  SCIENCE   OF   SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING. 

Shakespeare,  with  his  many-sided  wisdom,  said :  "Two 
grains  of  wheat  hid  in  two  bushels  of  chaff;  you  shall  seek 
all  day  ere  you  find  them,  and  when  you  have  them,  they  are 
not  worth  the  search."* 


*Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  i,  Scene  I. 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Adjustment  of  Concaves     .  .    138 
Adjustment  of  Connecting- 
Rod    41 

Adjustment  of  Cross-Head.       43 
Adjustment     of      Eccentric- 
Strap     45 

Adjustment   of  Engine  Bear- 
ings          41 

Adjustment    of    Friction 

Clutch 97 

Adjustment  of  Horse-Power  111 
Adjustment       of       Tailings- 
Elevator    150 

Adjustable   Sieves    144 

Admission,   Steam    55 

Alfalfa  Threshing   167 

Ascending   Hills    50 

Ascertaining  Cylinder-Speed    131 

Attached  Stacker    178 

Attached  Stacker,  Oiling...  178 
Attached  Stacker,  Operating  178 
Attaching  Brake  to  Horse 

Power    114 

Attaching  Combined  Stacker  184 
Attaching  Engine  Fittings.  9 
Attaching  Engine  Tender...  104 

Attaching  Feeder    172 

Attaching  Grain    Handlers..    191 

Attaching  Oil-Pump    37 

Attaching  "Swift"    Lubrica- 
tor   . : 39 

B 

Babbitting  a  Solid  Box 215 

Babbitting  a  Split  Box 216 

Bagger,  Number  Four 190 

Balancing  Cylinder 135 

Barley,  Threshing 156 

Beading  Boiler  Tubes 91 

Beans,  Cylinder  for  163 

Beans,  Threshing  163 

Beater,  The  138 

Beater,  Removing  198 

Bearings,  Hot  195 

Bearings.  Adjustment  of 

Engine  41 

Bearings,  Lubrication  of 

Engine  35 

Belti,  Care  of 201 


Page. 

Belts  for  Governor 57 

Belts,  Lacing    '. 204 

Belts,  Lacing    a   Canvas 206 

Belts,  Leather    202 

Belts,  Lengths   of    210 

Belts,  The  Main    203 

Belts,  Rubber    202 

B'elting  of  a  Separator 201 

Blinds,  The  Fan 143 

Blower,  The    87 

.  Board,  The  Check    139 

Board,  The   Wind    144 

Boiler,   The 83 

Boiler,   Cleaning  the    89 

Boiler,  Using  an  Old 93 

Boiler,   Fittings  for    83 

Boiler,  Foaming    87 

Boiler,  Painting   the    89 

Boiler,  Pressure   in   an   Old.  94 

Boiler,   Priming    88 

Boiler,  Temp,    of  Water   in.  83 

Boiler,  Temp,    of  Steam    in.  S3 

Boiler,  Testing  a    93 

Boiler  Tubes,   Expanding...  91 

Boxes,  Babbitting     215 

Boxes,  Babbitting   Solid    .  .  .  215 

Boxes,  Babbitting   Split    ...  216 

Boxes  for  Cylinder-Shaft   ..  132 

Brake  Horse   Power    61 

Brake  for  the  Horse-Power  114 

Brasses   for  Connecting-Rod  41 

Brass   Fittings,  Attaching..  9 

Brick  Arch    31 

Broken   Water-Glass    17 

Burning  Coal   29 

Burning  Straw     31 

Burning  Wood    30 

Buckwheat,   Threshing    ....  159 

Bull-Pinion  Boxes    112 

Bull-Pinion   Shaft    115 

Burdon  Tube 85 


Cable,  The  Use  of 51 

Calculating  the  Horse-Power     61 
Calculating  Grain  in  Wagon- 
Box  193 

Cannon-Bearings,  Oiling  , , ,    $5 


Page. 

Canvas  Cover  for  a  Separa- 
tor        198 

Canvas,    Stitched,   Belt 206 

Care  of  a  Separator 197 

Castings  for  Horse-Powers.    118 

Center-Head  Packing 66 

Centers,  Finding  the  Dead.  .  72 
Chain  for  Grain  Handlers..  192 
Chains  for  Engine,  Steering  48 
Chain  for  Tailings  Elevator  150 

Check-Board   139 

Check-Valve   25 

Check-Valve,  Regrinding   .  .      26 
Cleaning  Apparatus  of  Sep- 
arator        143 

Cleaning  the  Boiler   89 

Cleaning  the  Tubes 91 

Clearance  for  Engine 43 

Clinkers    30 

Clover,  Hulling    165 

Clutch,  Friction    96 

Clutch,  Adjusting  Friction..      97 

Coal,    Firing  with 29 

Connecting  the  Equalizers..  109 
Connecting-Rod  Brasses  ...  41 

Common  Sieves    145 

Common  Sieves,  List  of  ....  147 
Common  Sieves,  To  Insert  .  145 
Compound  Cylinder,  Taking 

Apart    66 

Compound  Engines 63 

Compound,  The  Woolf 64 

Compound    Valve,    Setting. .      80 

Concaves,  The    136 

Concaves,  Adjustment  of  .  .  138 
Concaves,  Setting  the  .....  136 

Concaves,   Special    137 

Conveyor,  The    139 

Conveyor  Extension    145 

Conveyor,  Removing  the  ...    199 

Combination  Stacker    184 

Combination  Stacker,  Attach- 
ing        184 

Combination  Stacker,  Oiling  186 
Combination     Stacker,    Ope- 
rating        185 

Common  Stacker    177 

Contents  of  Wagon-Box 193 

Cost  of  Oils 36 

Covering  Pulleys   212 

Cracking  Grain   133 

Cross-Head  Adjustment  ,,,,     43 


Page. 

Cup,   "Ideal"  Grease 36 

Cushion  in  Cylinder,  Steam.      55 

Cut-Off,  Steam    55 

Cut-Off  for  Woolf  Gear,  Even     80 

Cylinders,  Balancing  135 

Cylinder  Boxes 132 

Cylinders,  End-Play  of 132 

Cylinders,  for  Engines  53 

Cylinders,      Lubrication      of 

Engine    35 

Cylinder  Pulleys,  Separator.   131 

Cylinder,   Separator    129 

Cylinder,  Special  Separator.  135 
Cylinder,  Speed  of  Separator  131 
Cylinder  Teeth,  Separator..  129 
Cylinder  Teeth  Tracking, 

Separator    133 

Cylinder  Speed,  Ascertaining   130 

D 
Dead-Centers,  Finding  the..      72 

Descending  Hills   50 

Differential  Gear   99 

Differential  Gear,  Locking..  100 
Differential-Gear,  Oiling  .  .  .  101 
Disturbing  Valve-Settings..  75 

Dividing  Clearance   43 

Drawing  Taper  Keys 212 

Dressing  for  Belts 203 

E 
Eccentric  Strap,  Adjusting..      45 

Elevator,   The  Tailings 148 

Emmer,  Threshing "CO 

End-play,  Separator  Cylinder  132 
Engine     Bearings,      Adjust- 
ment of 41 

Engine,  Attention  to  a  New     12 

Engine,  Compound    63 

Engine  Cylinder   53 

Engine,  Fittings   for    9 

Engine,  Handling  the    47 

Engine,    Horse-Power   of.  .  .      58 

Engine  Proper    53 

Engine,   Setting  the    49 

Engine,  Starting  a  New 11 

Engine,  Starting  on  Road..  48 
Engine,  Starting  Traction 

Parts   11 

Engine,   Steaming  Up 10 

Engine,  Steering  the 48 

Engine  Tender    103 

Engine  Tender,  Attaching,,  104 


E 

Page. 

Engine  Tender  Wheels 105 

Engine,  Oiling  the  10 

Engine  Valve  Gear 69 

E'qual  Leads,  Woolf  Gear. . .  80 

Equalizers,  Connecting   ....  109 

Exhaust  Nozzle  33 

Exhaust  Ports   54 

Extension,  The  Conveyor   . .  145 

Expansion  of  Steam 55 

Expanding  Boiler  Tubes....  91 

F 

Fan  Blinds 143 

Fan,  Removing   200 

Fan  Speed 144 

Feeder   172 

Feeder,  Attaching   t  172 

Feeder,  Folding  the    '  173 

Feeder  Governor    174 

Feeder,  Oiling  the 173 

Feeder,  Speed  of   174 

Feeding  the  Separator 171 

Feeding  by  Hand 171 

Feed-Water,   The    13 

Feed-Water  Heaters   27 

Figuring  the  Horse-Power..      62 
Finding  the  Dead  Centers..      72 

Fire,  Starting  the 10 

Firing  with  Coal    29 

Firing  with  Straw    31 

Firing  with  Wood     30 

Firing  with  Various   Fuels.      29 
Fish-Backs  for  Straw-Rack  221 

Fittings  for  Boiler   83 

Fittings,  Attaching  Brass..        9 

Fitting  up  an  Engine 9 

Flax,  Threshing 157 

Flues,   Cleaning    91 

Foaming   87 

Folding  the   Feeder 173 

Friction-Clutch    96 

Friction-Clutch,  Adjusting..      97 

Friction-Clutch,    Oiling 98 

Fuels,  Firing  with  Various.      29 
G 

Gage-Cocks    15 

Gage-Glass     16 

Gage,   Steam   85 

Gearing,  Greasing  the 96 

Gear,  The  Differential 99 

Gearing,  Traction 95 

Gear,   The   Valve- 69 


Page. 

Glass,  the  Water- 16 

Governor,   for  Engine 57 

Governor,  Belt   for  Engine.  57 

Governor,  Feeder    174 

Governor  Jumps,  If  Engine.  55 

Governor,  Oiling  the  Engine  57 

Governor,  Packing    Engine.  57 

Governor,  Speed  of  Engine-  57 

Grates  in  Separator 139 

Grates,  Warped  Engine 29 

Grain,  Cracking    133 

Grain  Handlers   187 

Grain  Handlers,  Chain  for..  192 

Grain  Handlers,  Attaching..  191 

Grain,  Headed    151 

Grain,  Quantity  of 192 

Grain,  Threshing    151 

Grain,  Quantity   in  Wagon- 
Box 193 

Grain,  Weight  of   194 

Grain  Weighers   ,  187 

Gravel  Hills 51 

Greasing  the   Gearing 96 

Grease-Cup,   "Ideal"   36 

Greasing  the  Trucks 196 

Grouters,  Special  High 52 

H 

Handling   the    Engine 47 

Hand  Feeding   171 

Hand-Hole-Plate,   Packing..  99 

Hard   Oil    36 

Heater  for  Feed-Water 27 

Heater,  Testing  the 28 

High  Grouter   52 

Hills,  Ascending    50 

Hills,  Descending 50 

Hills,  Gravel   51 

Holes,  Mud    51 

Horse-Powers   107 

Horse-Powers,  Adjusting   . .  Ill 

Horse-Powers,  Brake  for  . .  114 
Horse-Powers,  Bull-Pinions 

for    ll2 

Horse-Powers,  Jacks  for   . .  Ill 

Horse-Powers,  Horses  for  .  116 

Horse-Powers,  Lubricating.  108 

Horse-Powers.  Parts  for  . . .  118 

Horse-Powers,  Reversing  ..  113 
Horse-Powers,  Setting  the..  108 
Horse-Powers,  Spur  Pinions 

for 110 


Page. 

Horse-Powers,  Starting    107 

Horse-Power  Brake    61 

Horse-Power,  Calculating...  61 
Horse-Power  of  an  Engine.  60 
Horse-Power,  Indicated  ....  60 

Horse-Power,  Rated    58 

Horses,  Work  of    115 

Hot  Boxes    195 

Hulling  Clover   165 

I 

"Ideal"  Grease-Cup    S6 

Independent  Pump    20 

Independent  Stacker    173 

Independent  Stacker,    Oper- 
ating      180 

Independent     Stacker,     Set- 
ting        179 

Independent  Stacker.  Erect- 
ing    179 

Indian  Corn,  Threshing 169 

Indicated  Horse-Power 60 

Injector    IS 

Injector  Failing  to  Work. . .  19 
Inserting  Common  Sieves. . .  146 

J 

Jack   for   Horse-Power Ill 

K 

Kafir-Corn,  Threshing 168 

Keys,  Taper 211 


Page, 
Lubrication  of  Horse-Pow- 

ers   ..........  .  ...........  108 

Lubrication  of  Separator  .  .  195 
Lubrication  of  the  Wind- 

Stacker    .................  183 

Lubricator,  Attaching  the 

"Swift"    .................  39 

Lubricator,  Failing  to  Work  40 
Lubricator,  Operating  "Swift"  39 

Lucerne  Threshing  ........  167 

M 

Main-Bearing,  Engine  .....  44 

Main  Drive  Belt  ............  203 

Main  Cylinder  Pulleys  ......  131 

Maize,  Threshing  ..........  169 

"Marsh"    Pump,    Starting...  21 

Millet,    Threshing    .........  160 

Mud-Holes    ................  51 

Mud-Hooks    ................  52 


Nailed  Pulley  Covers  .......  212 

New  Separator,  Starting  ----  121 

Nozzle,   Exhaust    ...........  33 

Number  One  Weigher   .....  188 

Number  Two  Weigher  .....  189 

Number  Three  Weigher    .  .  .  190 

Number  Four  Bagger  ......  190 

Number  Five  Loader   ......  191 

Number  Six  Loader   ........  191 


Lacing  a  Belt 204 

Lacing  a  Canvas  Belt 206 

Laying  up  the  Separator...    198 

Lead  of   Valve 79 

Leather  Belts    202 

Lengths  of  Belts 210 

Leveling  the  Separator 125 

Link  Reverse,  Setting  Valve 

with    80 

Lining  Up  Engine  and  Sepa- 
rator    . 49 

List  of  Common  Sieves 147 

Loader  No.  Five 191 

Loader  No.   Six 191 

Locking   the   Differential...    100 
Lost  Motion  in  Engine.....      41 

Low  Water 14 

Lubrication  of  Engine     ....      35 
Lubrication  of  Cylinder    ...      35 


Oats,  Threshing   155 

Oiling  the  Attached  Stacker  178 
Oiling  the  Cannon-Bearings  95 
Oiling  the  Combined  Stacker  1SG 

Oiling  the  Engine    10 

Oiling  the  Differential-Gear   101 

Oiling  the  Feeder    173: 

Oiling  the  Friction-Clutch..     98 

Oiling  the  Governor 57, 

Oiling  the  Separator    122 

Oiling  the  Tailings-Elevator  150 

Oiling  the  Trucks   196 

Oiling  the  Valve  of  Engine  39 
Oiling  the  Wind  Stacker...  183 

Oil,  The   Cost  of 36 

Oil,  Hard   36 

Oil-Pump,   Attaching    37 

Old  Boiler,   Testing  an 93 

Old  Boiler,  Danger  of  Using     93 


Page. 

Operating  the  Attached 
Stacker  178 

Operating  the  Combined 
Stacker 185 

Operating  the  Independent- 
Stacker  180 

Operating  the  Swift  Lubri- 
cator    39 

Operating  the  Wind-Stacker  180 

Orchard-Grass,    Threshing. .   167 

P 

Packing  the  Center-Head  of 

Engine 66 

Packing  the  Governor    57 

Packing      the      Hand  -  Hole 

Plates 90 

Packing  the  Pump  24 

Packing  the  "Swift"  Lubri- 
cator    40 

Packing  the  Water-Glass. . .  17 

Painting  the  Boiler 89 

Parts  for  Horse-Powers. . . .  118 

Peanuts,  Threshing   .  169 

Peas,  Threshing 161 

Peas,  Special  Cylinder  for..  163 

"Penberthy"  Injector 18 

"Penberthy"  Injector,  Start- 
ing    IS 

"Penberthy"   Injector,   Fails 

to  Work   19 

Piston,  Engine 55 

Pop-Valve    86 

Port,  Exhaust 54 

Port,  Steam   54 

Pounding  of  an   Engine 41 

Pounding  of  a  Straw-Rack.  142 

Pressure  for  an  Old  Boiler.  94 

Priming 88 

"Prony"  Brake 61 

Pulleys  for  Cylinder-Shaft.  131 

Pulleys,  Covering 212 

Pulley-Covers,  Nailed 212 

Pulley-Covers,  Riveted    213 

R 

Rated  Horse-Power   58 

Regrinding  Check-Valves  . .  27 

Removing  the  Beater 198 

Removing  the  Conveyor  . . .  199 

Removing  the  Fan    200 

Removing  the  Rock-Shaft..  198 


Page. 
Removing  the  Straw-Rack.    199 

Removing  the  Shoe    199 

Removing    the    Spur-Wheel 

Shaft    113: 

Removing  Taper-Keys   212: 

Repairing  and  Testing  Heat- 
er          2S 

Reverse-Gear  for  Engine. ..      CO 
Reversing  Gearing  of  Horse- 
Powers    113: 

Reversing     Tumbling  -  Rod 

Motion   115 

Rice,  Threshing   164 

Riveted   Pulley-Covers   213: 

Rock-Shaft,   Removing    198: 

Rubber-Belts    202! 

Rye,  Threshing   154; 

S 

Safety-Valve   g£ 

Scraping  the  Tubes 91 

Screens    145 

Self-Feeders    172 

Separator,  Belts  for 210 

Separator,  Belting    201 

Separator,  Canvas  Cover  for  198 

Separator,  Care  of 197 

Separator  Cylinder   129 

Separator,  Feeding  the  ....  171 

Separator,  Laying   Up 198 

Separator  Lubrication 195 

Separator,    Oiling   the 122 

Separator,  Pulleys  for   211 

Separator,  Setting  Up 121 

Separator,  Setting  the   125 

Separator,  Starting  a  New.   121 

Separator,  Side-Gear    110 

Setting  the  Concaves    136 

Setting  the  Engine     . .     49 

Setting  the  Horse-Power  . .   108 
Setting       the      Independent 

Stacker    179 

Setting  the  Separator  .....  125 
Setting  the  Separator  Up...  121 
Setting  Separator  with  Wind  126 
Setting  the  Valve,  Compound  80 
Setting  the  Valve,  Link- 
Reverse  80 

Setting    the    Valve,    Woolf- 

Reverse    76 

Shoe,  Removing  the 199 

Shoe,  Waste  at  220 


Page. 
Side-Gear   for   Separator. . . .   110 

Sieves 144 

Sieves,  Adjustable    144 

Sieves,  Common    145 

Sieves,  To  Insert    146 

Simple   Engine   53 

Slide-Valve    54 

Slip  of  Valve,  Woolf-Valve- 

Gear   78 

Solid-Boxes,  Babbitting   ....    215 

Soy-Beans,  Threshing    163 

Spe-cial  Concaves   137 

Special  Cylinder,   Rice    135 

Special  Cylinder  for  Beans.   163 

Special  High  Grouters     52 

Special  Straw-Rack    142 

Speed,  Ascertaining  Cylinder   131 
Speed  of  Separator  Cylinder  130 

Speed  of  Fan    144 

Speed  of  Feeder    174 

Speed  of  Governor    on    En- 
gine         57 

Speed  of  Straw-Rack 141 

Speed  of  Tumbling-Rod    . . .   110 

Speed  of  Wind-Stacker 184 

Speltz,   Threshing    160 

Split-Box,  Babbitting 216 

Spur-Pinions,  Horse-Power.   110 
Spur-Wheel     Shaft,     Horse- 
Power   115 

Stackers,  Straw   177 

Stackers,  Attached    178 

Stackers,  Combined    184 

Stackers,  Common    177 

Stackers,  Independent    178 

Stackers,  Wind    180 

Stack  Building 183 

Starting  Engine    11  and     47 

Starting  Horse-Power    .....   107 

Starting  Injector    18 

Starting  Marsh  Pump    21 

Starting-  Separator    121 

Starting  Traction-Gearing..      11 

Steam  Admission 55 

Steam  Cut-Off    55 

Steam  Expansion    ..., 55 

Steam  Gage    » 85 

Steam  Ports    54 

Steel   Cable,  Use  of 51 

Steering  the  Engine 48 

Straining  the  Feed-Water..     13 


Page. 

Straw,  Firing  with 31 

Straw-Rack   139 

Straw-Rack,  Fish-Backs  . . .   221 
Straw-Rack,  Removing  ....   199 

Straw-Rack  Pounding 142 

Straw-Rack,  Speed  of . . 141 

Straw-Rack,  Special    142 

Straw-Rack,  "Texas"  Special  168 

Straw-Stackers    17Z 

"Swift"  Lubricator,   Attach- 
ing          39 

"Swift"  Lubricator,  Fails  to 

Work     40 

"Swift"  Lubricator,    Operat- 
ing           39 

"Swift"  Lubricator,  Packing     40 

T 

Tanks     103 

Tank-Pump    104 

Tailings  Elevator    148 

Tailings  Elevator,  Oiling  . .   150 
Tailings'  Elevator,    Adjust- 
ing       150 

Tailings  Elevator  Chain   ...   150 

Taper-Keys    211 

Taper-Kej^s,  Drawing1   212 

Testing  Water-Heater 28 

Temperature  of  Steam    83 

Temperature  of  Water    ....     83 

Testing  a  Boiler 93 

Tenders,  Engine    103 

Tenders,  Attaching,    Engine  104 
Tender-Wheels,  Engine  ....   105 

Teeth  for  Cylinders 129 

Teeth-Tracking    133 

"Texas"   Straw-Rack   168 

Throttle,    The 56 

Threshing  Alfalfa    167 

Threshing  Barley    156 

Threshing  Beans   163 

Threshing  Buckwheat    159 

Threshing  Emmer    160 

Threshing  Flax    157 

Threshing  Headed  Grain   . .   151 

Threshing  Indian  Corn    169 

Threshing  Kafir-Corn    168 

Threshing  Lucerne 167 

Threshing  Maize    169 

Threshing  Millet   160 

Threshing  Oats    155 

Threshing  Orchard  Grass  . .   167 


Page. 

Threshing  Peas    151 

Threshing  Peanuts   169 

Threshing  Rice    164 

Threshing  Rye   154 

Threshing  Soy  Beans   163 

Threshing  Speltz    160 

Threshing  Timothy    158 

Threshing  Turkey-Wheat  ..   154 

Threshing  Wheat 152 

Threshing,  Waste   in 219 

Timothy  Threshing   158 

Tracking  of  Teeth 133 

Traction-Parts,  Starting  the     11 

Traction-Gearing    95 

Tubes,  Cleaning  the 91 

Tubes,  Expanding  and  Bead- 
ing       91 

Tumbling-Rod,  Reversing  ..  113 
Tumbling-Rod,  Speed  of  ...  110 

Trucks,    Greasing    196 

Turkey-Wheat,  Threshing..    154 
V 

Valve,  Check    25 

Valve,  Compound    64 

Valve-Gear,   Engine   69 

Valve-Gear,  Disturbing  ....     70 

Valve  Lead 79 

Valve,  Pop  Safety 86 

Valve-Seat  54 

Valve,  Setting  Woolf  Gear.  76 
Valve,  Setting  Link  Gear..  80 
Valve,  Setting  Compound..  80 

Valve-Slip   78 

Valve,  If  Disturbed    75 

Valve  Lubrication £5 

Valve,  Slide *....     54 

Various  Fuels,  Firing  with.     29 


w 

Page. 
Wagon-Box,  Contents  of...   193 

Washing  the  Boiler 89 

Waste  in  Threshing 219 

Waste  at  Shoe 220 

Water,  Feed    13 

Water,  Foaming   87 

Water-Gauge    16 

Water-Glass,  Broken 17 

Water  Glass,  Packing 17 

Water-Heater    27 

Water,  Low   14 

Water,  Priming    88 

Water  Tanks    103 

Water  Temperature  in  Boiler     83 

Weight  of  Grain 194 

Weights   of  Grains 187 

Weigher  Number  One    188 

Weigher  Number  Two    189 

Weighing    Bagger    Number 

Three   190 

Wheat,  Threshing 152 

Wheels  for  Engine-Tender.    105 
"White-Caps"  in  Wheat...     153 

Wind-Board    144 

Wind,  Setting  with 125 

Wind-Stacker   180 

Wind-Stacker     Lubrication.   183 
Wind-Stacker  Operation   ...   180 

Wind-Stacker  Speed    184 

Wind-Stacker  Stack  Building  183 

Wood,  Firing  with 30 

Woolf  Compound,    The 64 

Woolf     Reverse  -  Gear,   Set- 
ting Valve  76 

"Woolf  Valve-Gear    70 


/ 


171780 


